Yes, I do like her.
In this quiet night, relatives who have long been separated and have now returned in glory should have been a joyful family. Yet, the atmosphere suddenly shattered like the teacup in the hands of Eldest Madam Ning dropped to the ground.
Ning Yunyan covered her mouth with a hand and let out a piercing scream.
Eldest Master Ning appeared somewhat at a loss, as if he hadn't understood.
Eldest Madam Ning, on the other hand, was staring at Ning Yunzhao, her lips quivering.
What had she been waiting for so long, and holding her breath for so long, for?
Was it not to hear a denial?
Now, having just learned that the marriage arrangement was a sham before she could even rejoice, a breath had yet to land, when she heard that he liked her.
The marriage arrangement was fake, but his feelings for her were real.
Rather than hear this, she would have preferred that the marriage was real and his likings were false.
He likes her?
Her son—her precious, family-honoring son—actually likes that cheap slut?
Eldest Madam Ning's vision darkened, and she collapsed forward.
Might as well be dead.
The scream of Ning Yunyan once again pierced the night's tranquility of the Ning residence.
....................
The noise in the relay station had also given way to the quiet night.
After seeing off the last visiting official, Liu'er yawned.
"Miss Jun, you should rest now," she said.
But Miss Jun did not rest.
"I'll read a little longer," she said. "You go to sleep first."
Liu'er hummed in response and left.
The handwritten notes taken out from the medicine box were looked at once again. Miss Jun turned up the lamp on the table a bit brighter, sighed softly, and opened the first page.
I am a fool.
Then let's see what kind of fool can draw such detailed maps.
Miss Jun turned her hand, carefully observing each map one by one.
Then let's see what kind of fool can pen such fearless words.
Miss Jun turned her hand, and even though the armor was broken and the weapons were damaged, the lingering aura of combat could not be concealed.
Then let's see what kind of fool can devise such myriad, ever-changing battle formations.
Miss Jun looked at the first battle formation she had seen last time. Despite the dim light of the night, its presence was still sharp.
She didn't understand military tactics or battle formations, nor had her master ever mentioned them.
But that didn't matter; just as in the past, she didn't understand chess or playing pitch-pot, yet her master would still throw them to her to figure them out on her own.
For most, the master leads the disciple in, and the cultivation is upon the individual; in her master's case, one had to step in by oneself first, then he would guide the cultivation.
The night was deep, as the wick of the lamp formed buds of flame again and again, casting the silhouette of someone sitting in meditation like a pine tree.
As always, before daylight broke, Seventh Chen began to prepare for departure.
Because people at the relay station come and go all night, to avoid being surrounded and obstructed again, they always set off early.
All three carriages were meticulously checked, and the relay station provided their best relay horses for the journey.
"Having Miss Jun stay with us is like averting disaster," the relay station deputy complimented Seventh Chen with a smile.
"Nonsense," Seventh Chen shook his head.
The relay station deputy nodded repeatedly in agreement.
"I'm just talking nonsense," he said.
No one used to take his words seriously. Subconsciously, Seventh Chen reached to stroke his beard, imitating Manager Liu's gesture, but sadly, he didn't have a beard yet. His actions were somewhat comical—lacking the poised elegance of Manager Liu.
The guards led the horses out, and the relay station deputy accompanied Seventh Chen as they walked outside.
"When you return to the capital, Manager Chen, you must come again," he said.
"You sound like the innkeeper drumming up business," Seventh Chen jokingly replied.
The two of them laughed and chatted their way to the entrance, where the dim morning light revealed silence all around; however, outside the relay station stood a team of horses and men.
Seventh Chen hesitated for a moment.
Three tents were still pitched, and at this time at the roadside, only the horses were swishing their tails, as it seemed everyone was resting inside the tents.
"Was the relay station full last night?" Seventh Chen asked.
The relay station deputy shook his head.
"Our inn is right at the border between Shanxi and Henan Province," he said. "It's not so easy to fill up completely."
Are these merchants who don't have the status to stay at the relay station?
Seventh Chen looked at these people.
"I don't know, they arrived in the middle of the night, didn't even come forward to ask about accommodations, just set up camp by the roadside." A posthouse soldier spoke up.
To encounter a relay station but not stay, instead pitching a tent—and what a splendid tent it was, even adorned with a night pearl, simply...
The whims of the wealthy can be odd indeed.
"Go and talk to them, ask them to make way for our horses and carriages," Seventh Chen instructed the guard.
The guard stepped forward to comply.
"Fellow villager," he called out a few steps away from the tent, "could you please clear the way?"
There was no response from inside the tent, just the roadside horses curiously looking his way.
Still asleep?
The guard turned to look back at Seventh Chen.
Seventh Chen gestured with a hand wave.
"What's going on?" Miss Jun and Liu'er, having finished packing up, came out and saw everyone standing outside, asking,
"Some people have stopped to rest outside the relay station, blocking the way," Seventh Chen said.
The relay station deputy couldn't wait any longer, hurriedly signaling the posthouse soldiers.
"Hurry, hurry, chase them away," he said with hands on hips, "Don't block Miss Jun's carriage."
The posthouse soldiers scurried out, ready to rush over when suddenly, a person leaped out from the quiet tent.
"gongzhu!" he shouted loudly.
The posthouse soldiers, caught completely off guard, were startled.
Looking at this youth of about fifteen or sixteen, with his appearance, attire, and accessories, he seemed nothing short of a celestial being descended to earth.
Seventh Chen was also startled, momentarily not comprehending.
gongzhu, this name is familiar, but this person?
Liu'er was already exclaiming from behind.
"This person looks so familiar," she said.
Familiar?
Fang Chengyu looked at the woman before him, feeling both excited and a bit anxious.
She left last June, and it's already April now, nearly a year since they last met.
A year, such a long, long time.
Have they all forgotten what he looked like?
His grandmother and mother both said he had grown quickly, and gotten taller. She probably wouldn't recognize him now, right?
Fang Chengyu clutched his fingers, maybe he should have grown slower.
"What familiarity."
Miss Jun's voice came, just like before, clear, bright, and sweet.
"It's Chengyu."
It's Chengyu.
She said it was Chengyu.
Fang Chengyu looked at Miss Jun, his smile blossoming as he rushed towards her.
So this wealthy person was the Young Master of Fang Family.
His disguise was so thorough, hardly recognizable.
"Why didn't you come in when you arrived at midnight?" Miss Jun, having heard from the relay station deputy, looked at Fang Chengyu.
"You were asleep, so late at night," Fang Chengyu laughed, "It wouldn't be good to wake you."
Seventh Chen inwardly clucked his tongue twice, so the Young Master of Fang was this kind of young master. Unexpected, at such a young age sweet as honey with his words, who did he learn it from? Are they siblings? Why is Jinxiu's tongue like a sharp knife?
Miss Jun laughed, shaking her head.
"Besides, doesn't it make it more of a surprise this way?" Fang Chengyu continued, his eyes alight with excitement, "You come out and see me burst forth, unexpected, right?"
This really is... a surprise.
Seventh Chen rolled his eyes wryly in the background, watching the other guards emerge from the tent.
These burly guards, in their twenties, looked somewhat uncomfortable, as though embarrassed to face everyone.
Even though they heard someone inquire, they pretended not to be there, engaging in this hide-and-seek surprise game; they hadn't done such things since they were ten, right?
It's somewhat embarrassing.
Seventh Chen looked at them with a touch of sympathy.