My aunt sent people to search urgently, so my cousin went back for a visit.
It’s my aunt's fault, really. Knowing my cousin's temperament, she still forced him to marry, and what was the result but this.
When my cousin didn't want to come home every day, she started to worry again, constantly asking him to persuade him. Was this something that could be persuaded?
This has made it so that I haven't dared to go near my aunt these days, for fear of hearing her ask me to help persuade my cousin.
Grandpa Meng and his grandson don't know yet that an old friend is about to pay them a visit.
Greeting a spring rain, Fu Xinci and Ning'er sat on the upper floor of the small building, gazing at the tender green leaves through the fine, misty rain.
Ning'er was unusually quiet. He stood on a small stool by the window and discussed with his sister.
"Sister, can I move in with you?"
Fu Xinci listened and, imitating his posture, tilted her little head and asked, "Why?"
Ning'er felt that his sister was as cute as he was, so he happily said, "Sister's room is high up. I just saw Second Aunt pour water."
"Oh."
"Can I, Sister?" Fearing his sister would disagree, the little fellow quickly moved closer to her, leaning against her and acting cute, hoping she would agree to his request.
Fu Xinci did not disappoint him, and her thoughts coincided with someone else's. "If Mom and Dad agree, you can move in."
"Sister must keep her word." Ning'er said, then started to run outside.
"Ning'er, it's still raining outside."
"Mm, Ning'er isn't afraid."
"It doesn't matter if you're not afraid. The air is heavy and damp on a day like this, and the rainwater is cold. Ning'er is still young; it won't be good if you catch a chill."
"Oh, Ning'er will listen to Sister." The little fellow said, then obediently stood on his small stool and looked out the window.
However, he didn't watch for long before he extended his little chubby hand and adorably pointed towards the main road not far ahead for his sister to see.
"Sister, look, a lot of people are coming towards our house."
Hearing Ning'er's words, Fu Xinci also leaned towards the window. Through the thin curtain of rain, she saw a team in ostentatious flying fish robes heading in the direction of their home.
"Sister, who are they? Ning'er has never seen them before."
"They are the Embroidered Uniform Guard."
"What do the Embroidered Uniform Guard do?"
Fu Xinci had intended to give a perfunctory answer, but she thought of the Embroidered Uniform Guard's reputation and tried her best to explain their profession in simple terms that a child could understand.
Ning'er was intelligent and understood most of what his sister said. He then blinked his dark, bright eyes, cleverly leaned closer to his sister again, and said his thoughts, tilting his small face up. "Sister, if we stay far away from them, we won't get hurt, right?"
"What Ning'er said makes sense. However, sometimes, a person is involuntarily caught in certain circumstances due to various reasons."
"Sister, Ning'er knows this."
"Ning'er knows?"
"Mm, Grandfather told Brother about it, and Ning'er heard it too."
"Is that so? Our Ning'er is so smart."
"Sister is even smarter."
"...?"
"Ning'er heard Grandfather and Father say that Sister is the smartest one in our family."
Fu Xinci hadn't expected her little brother's mature demeanor to be so endearing.
Yan Yi and Liu Chenfeng led a group of subordinates to the entrance of the Meng family. Hearing the noise, Meng Qicheng came to open the door.
Although several years had passed, Meng Qicheng still recognized these two adults and quickly stepped forward to greet them.
Yan Yi waved his hand, urging him to go in and announce their arrival.
Upon hearing that Yan Yi had arrived, especially in such weather, Grandpa Meng couldn't help but feel a bit surprised.
But despite his surprise, the old man dared not be negligent.
Seeing the elder come out to welcome them, Yan Yi and Liu Chenfeng, who had already dismounted, quickly stepped forward, cupped their fists, and saluted, "Uncle Meng."
Liu Chenfeng looked at the old man's white hair and followed his cousin, calling out, "Uncle Meng."
"Ah, ah, please come inside quickly."
Yan Yi and Meng Er Shu, together, had never treated themselves as outsiders. But as they rounded the screen wall and glimpsed the bright glass installed in the windows of the Meng family's main and side rooms, their expressions changed.
Liu Chenfeng, being younger, couldn't contain his impatience. Seeing something good, he strode forward and quickly reached the window.
Upon closer inspection, his face filled with disbelief. "Cousin, come quickly and look. I've never seen such fine cloisonné before."
Yan Yi knew it was good stuff without getting close. So he was distracted, his mind already pondering how to get on Meng Shu's good side and get some of this good thing to take back.
Liu Chenfeng, however, had no intention of beating around the bush. He directly asked, "Uncle Meng, where did you get this cloisonné for your windows? It's so much better than what's installed in our windows."
Grandpa Meng smiled. In front of these two, he dared not attribute everything to the merchants. Remembering his granddaughter's instructions, he attributed the matter of the glass to his granddaughter's master.
"This is glass. Ci'er's master helped get it."
"That reclusive master?" Liu Chenfeng thought of the great saber he had seen at the thousand-household office, making him drool.
If his cousin hadn't secretly kicked him several times, he would have wanted to carry off the master's saber.
Especially seeing Qianhu Qi looking at him like a thief, he had really wanted to scare him by acting like a bandit.
Alas, before he could even reach out, his cousin had dragged him away.
After leaving the thousand-household office, his cousin had even lectured him, saying they were there to reward meritorious officials on behalf of the Emperor, not to oppress people.
He felt depressed. He just wanted to make a joke, but his cousin had taken it seriously. Alas, it made him furious.
As soon as he calmed down, they entered the Meng family's courtyard and saw something wonderful.
Now, upon hearing Uncle Meng mention the little dark girl's master, he wanted nothing else but to meet that legendary master who could fly and burrow underground.
It wasn't just Liu Chenfeng who wished for it; Yan Yi felt the same. If they could receive even a single move of guidance from that master, it would undoubtedly be beneficial for their entire lives.
Grandpa Meng saw that when he mentioned his granddaughter's master, although the two young men didn't say much, their desire to get acquainted was clearly written on their faces.
Grandpa Meng couldn't help them, so he told them the truth. "Ci'er's master is always elusive, appearing and disappearing without a trace."
Liu Chenfeng glanced at his cousin and nodded. "When we met General Liu, he said the same thing."
Yan Yi still had a slight doubt, so he asked for clarification. "Uncle Meng, besides Xinci, has no one else in your family ever seen her master?"
"Her father and I saw her master's back back then. Her master probably didn't want to be involved in worldly affairs. No matter how we pursued, he refused to stop, until his figure disappeared into the mountain scenery."