Chen Qiao'er immediately and obediently followed Chen Xiaobei out.
Seeing them both walk away, Cui Hongyu asked with a smile.
"Ziyan, what's wrong? You're being so secretive."
Shen Ziyan extended her hand and brought it closer to Cui Hongyu, "I've been feeling this stomachache these past few days, can you check it for me?"
Cui Hongyu then understood why Shen Ziyan had hesitated to speak earlier.
She extended her hand and placed it on Shen Ziyan's wrist.
After taking her pulse, she frowned, "You've caught a chill. What's going on?"
"Perhaps it's because I've been eating cold things these past few days. Nothing else really." Shen Ziyan shook her head.
"What have you been eating? How could this happen?" Cui Hongyu continued to question.
"I haven't eaten much, just a lot of the apples that were delivered. Oh, and someone also sent us a plate of crabs at noon. Huang Ying and I both ate some."
Upon hearing this, Cui Hongyu nodded slightly, "Crabs are inherently cold, you can't eat too many. And tell Huang Ying, she especially cannot eat too many."
Shen Ziyan looked at Cui Hongyu in surprise, "Why can't she eat too many in particular?"
Cui Hongyu looked at Shen Ziyan, paused slightly, "Alas, you wouldn't understand. Eating too many cold things can affect childbirth."
Hearing this, Shen Ziyan laughed, "Alright, alright. If that's the case, then she really can't eat too many."
After speaking, she naturally picked up a bowl of hot porridge from the table and gulped it down.
"Okay, I feel much better after drinking this bowl of porridge. I'm leaving now."
Chen Xiaobei walked with Chen Qiao'er along the river behind the village for a while. Seeing Shen Ziyan leave, he slowly returned.
He looked at the empty porridge bowl in front of him, utterly confused. He thought the bowl was full when he went out.
Seeing this, Cui Hongyu quickly took a bowl and served him another one.
"It's like this, Ziyan drank your bowl of porridge earlier. I'll serve you another one."
Alright, Chen Xiaobei was speechless.
He really wanted to ask Shen Ziyan what she had come for, but since Cui Hongyu didn't say anything, he felt too embarrassed to ask.
So, he simply lowered his head and ate quietly.
The next morning.
The entire Heitou Village was bustling with excitement. Today was the day Chen Xiaobei was getting married. Although the wedding ceremony wouldn't take place until late afternoon, almost as dusk fell, everyone got up early.
What surprised Chen Xiaobei even more was that shortly after sunrise, Feng Xiaoyue arrived again, accompanied by Xiao Mu and a few other beggars who were slightly older.
No, they couldn't be called beggars now. They were all dressed cleanly and tidily, and their manners were decent.
Looking at the children in such a state, Chen Xiaobei couldn't help but sigh. This was all thanks to Feng Xiaoyue.
Feng Xiaoyue found Liu Rumei and politely stated her purpose, offering to help with some chores.
Liu Rumei looked carefully at Feng Xiaoyue and suddenly exclaimed, "I seem to remember, aren't you Feng Pengju's daughter?"
Her identity revealed, Feng Xiaoyue paused. She looked at Liu Rumei and bowed again, "Miss Liu, you must be mistaken. I..." Su Dan Novel Network
Liu Rumei suddenly became happy and took Feng Xiaoyue's hand, "There's no mistake, Feng Xiaoyue, don't you remember me? I am Liu Rumei. We used to see each other often in the capital a few years ago. My father once instructed me to find the daughter of Lord Feng, who had fallen into obscurity, and asked me to help. I never expected to meet you here."
At this point, Feng Xiaoyue knew she could no longer hide it. She could only bow slightly, "I am now the child of a criminal, please, Miss Liu, maintain your dignity."
Seeing her expression, Liu Rumei couldn't help but smile, "Alright, don't say such things in front of me. My father said he knows Lord Feng was wrongfully accused and has always wanted to find an opportunity to clear his name, so he wanted to find you."
"Thank you, Miss Liu. My father said that the Emperor will eventually know he is innocent." Feng Xiaoyue, however, didn't seem to appreciate it much.
Seeing Feng Xiaoyue's resolute attitude, Liu Rumei didn't say anything further.
She knew that this was not the right occasion to say too much, but she was still excited to have found Feng Xiaoyue.
It was truly a coincidence. If Feng Xiaoyue hadn't delivered the tiger skin a few days ago and had come again, Liu Rumei wouldn't have had the chance to say this.
Liu Rumei casually assigned a few tasks to Feng Xiaoyue and then turned to find Chen Xiaobei.
With a hint of excitement, she said to Chen Xiaobei, "Brother Xiaobei, I want to ask you, do you know Feng Xiaoyue's background?"
Chen Xiaobei certainly knew her background. Old Wu, the vegetable seller, had told him. Of course, Chen Xiaobei didn't know that Old Wu was actually a servant of the Feng family.
But he hesitated whether to tell Liu Rumei.
While he was hesitating, Liu Rumei immediately realized that Chen Xiaobei must know.
"Brother Xiaobei, when we came, my father also asked me to inquire about Feng Xiaoyue's whereabouts. I'm so glad to have met her here."
"Alas, it's a pity. Feng Xiaoyue's father has been exiled to the border. By the way, if you have a chance, can you ask your lord to speak up for her father..."
Before he could finish, Liu Rumei nodded, "Don't worry, my father has always said he would find an opportunity to vindicate Lord Feng. I want to take Feng Xiaoyue back to the capital in a few days, but I spoke to her a bit just now, and she seems quite resistant to me."
Chen Xiaobei immediately understood and nodded, "I'll talk to her about this."
Hearing Chen Xiaobei's intention, Feng Xiaoyue fell silent for a moment, then slowly said, "Brother Xiaobei, do you know? When my father was taken away that day, he specifically told me not to trust others easily, and that he would find a way to prove his innocence himself. But three years have passed, and I still haven't heard any news."
Hearing these words, Chen Xiaobei naturally understood. Yes, if she trusted others too easily and said something she shouldn't have, which was then used by someone else to claim credit, then Feng Xiaoyue would truly be helpless.
"I believe Liu Rumei. Since Marquis Liu said he wanted to help you, then you are worth the trip."
Feng Xiaoyue suddenly looked up at Chen Xiaobei, "Can you go with me? I only trust you."
Seeing the trust in Feng Xiaoyue's eyes, Chen Xiaobei suddenly hesitated.
He had just married Huang Ying. Accompanied Feng Xiaoyue to Wannian City, what would that look like? Even if his conscience was clear, and even if Cui Hongyu and Huang Ying could understand and trust him, what would others think?
Seeing his silence, Feng Xiaoyue didn't say another word and turned to leave.
Watching Feng Xiaoyue's receding figure, Chen Xiaobei sighed deeply. This was a difficult matter.
By noon, Liu Rumei's eight-bearer sedan chair had arrived, signaling that the wedding was entering its final countdown.
Upon seeing the sedan chair, the children in the village became even more excited, running around the sedan chair and shouting happily.