Lu Qingyuan had a lovely dream.
She dreamt she was riding a small red horse, galloping toward her maternal grandparents’ home, with a heavy satchel of gold strapped to her back. Just as she caught sight of the familiar plaque of the Changfeng Escort Agency in the distance...
"Madam!!!"
Zhuxia’s cry rang in her ears. Then, her satchel slipped from her back, and the gold spilled all over the ground...
"The gold, my gold..." Lu Qingyuan murmured, blinking her eyes open in a daze.
"What gold? Madam, hurry up and get up! Today is your homecoming visit; you must dress beautifully to outshine everyone else!"
Zhuxia was strong; she hauled Lu Qingyuan out of bed in one go and pressed her down before the vanity.
Lu Qingyuan shook her head to clear it, slumped over the dressing table, and sighed, "Please! There are only a handful of people at the Lu Residence. Who exactly am I supposed to outshine?"
Songyan walked in from outside, carrying a set of clothes in her arms.
It was a bright red, gold-woven satin gown, the golden threads intricately embroidered into a stunning display of peonies. This was the very outfit Songyan had originally chosen for Lu Qingyuan the day before to wear for her imperial thank-you audience.
"This time, surely Madam is willing to wear it?" Songyan held the clothes out, her eyes clearly saying, "If you don’t wear it, I’ll just take it out again next time."
Zhuxia nodded vigorously. "Exactly! And I think the box of jewelry the Empress Dowager bestowed yesterday is also excellent, especially that begonia hairpin. It will surely look stunning on you, Madam!"
"Fine, fine, do as you wish with me." Lu Qingyuan resignedly closed her eyes and let the maids wash, dress, apply her makeup, and style her hair.
By the time the maids finished, the sun had already climbed high.
Lu Qingyuan had agreed the night before to have breakfast at the Old Madam’s courtyard, and then head to the Lu family residence with Huo Yanxing after he finished his morning court session.
"Hurry, hurry!" Lu Qingyuan gathered her skirts and ran toward the Old Madam’s Cihui Hall.
"Oh!"
She almost collided with Bai Yu, who was just coming out of the hall.
Lu Qingyuan noticed the faint dark circles under Bai Yu’s eyes and the weariness in his expression. He had evidently been helping Huo Yanxing with his work again last night. Although she was the Marquis’s lady and Bai Yu was the attendant, their relationship felt more like an employer and an accountant. Thinking of those ledgers gave her a headache, and she felt a sudden sense of shared hardship with him.
"Bai Yu, no matter how important the Marquis’s matters are, you must look after your health," Lu Qingyuan said in a lowered voice. "Sometimes, you have to learn how to slack off."
Bai Yu was stunned, a surge of mixed emotions rising within him, nearly bringing him to tears. Those four young masters at the Plum Blossom Cottage had pestered him all night long, demanding he recount what happened at Shoukang Palace. He couldn’t tell them the whole truth, so he could only share what was permissible—how the Madam had discovered the white deer was fake, how Xian Wang had tried to defend himself, and how the Marquis had seized upon the loopholes in Xian Wang’s story to solidify evidence of his illegal hunting...
Tossing and turning all night, he had been forced to tell the story eight times. Eight times! No wonder people say, "Only after raising children do you understand your parents' toil; children are like needles that grind the soul." Raising kids was truly hard! He vowed he would absolutely, positively, never have children of his own!
"For the eldest daughter of the Lu family to be so well-versed in the art of slacking off, it seems you don't take the affairs of the Marquis’s manor very much to heart. In that case, perhaps we should reconsider certain wagers."
A dark-clad figure stepped out from behind the moon gate. Huo Yanxing stood there, arms crossed, staring blankly at Lu Qingyuan.
Lu Qingyuan jolted and immediately switched sides. "What are you saying, Marquis? I was looking over the ledgers late into the night." She turned back to Bai Yu: "Do your duty diligently. No slacking off, or I’ll deduct your monthly wages."
Bai Yu: "..."
Huo Yanxing snorted coldly. "Enough, get inside. Grandmother is waiting for you to eat."
As soon as Lu Qingyuan stepped inside, the Old Madam and the four children all looked her way.
"Wow! A fairy!" Huo Lingxi jumped up, grabbed Lu Qingyuan’s hand, and sat her down, asking dramatically, "Third Aunt, did you descend from heaven?"
Although Huo Yunyao said nothing, Lu Qingyuan caught the look of awe and envy in her eyes as she gazed at the fine gown.
After the meal, Huo Yanxing and Lu Qingyuan prepared to head to the Lu family residence.
Huo Lingxi tugged at Lu Qingyuan’s skirt, refusing to let go. "Third Aunt~~ I want to go too!"
The other three didn’t speak, but their eyes never left them. After listening to Uncle Bai Yu’s stories all night, they had developed a different perspective on their Third Aunt. Moreover, it seemed her relationship with the Lu family wasn’t very good; would there be a show to watch during this homecoming visit?
"No," Huo Yanxing refused coldly. "I said it before: three days of confinement and copying books. Have you all forgotten?"
The light died instantly in those four pairs of eyes.
Lu Qingyuan walked from Cihui Hall to the main entrance, where the homecoming gifts were already prepared, and the servants were loading them into the carriage. There were over a dozen crates.
"So many?!" Lu Qingyuan waved her hands repeatedly. "No, no, this is too wasteful. How will we manage our finances?" She didn't want to give anything valuable to the Lu family.
"It didn't cost much," Huo Yanxing said, opening the first few crates. They were filled with wild hares, boars, and pheasants. "Yesterday, the Emperor sent men to confiscate the game hunted by Xian Wang, and they turned around and sent it all to me. The crates in the back are just silks Grandmother prepared for me long ago; their colors and styles are quite dated."
"That’s fine, then." Lu Qingyuan was pleased. "Next time Xian Wang stirs up trouble, let’s catch him again."
Beside them, Bai Yu clicked his tongue in disbelief: these two were just out here fleecing Xian Wang for everything he was worth.
The Lu Residence wasn't far from the Town-North Marquis Manor, and the carriage arrived quickly. Only the steward and a few servants came out to greet them at the entrance. Huo Yanxing frowned but said nothing. Lu Qingyuan, having expected this result, walked inside with indifference.
The servants from the Marquis’s manor were grunting as they carried the stack of gift crates.
"Hey, why does this crate feel heavier? I remember this one was for silk. Why is it heavier than the one with the wild boar?"
"Less chatter, keep moving! The Marquis and Madam have already gone in."
"Come on, give me a hand. One, two, three, lift—" The servants used all their might, but still couldn't move it.
"One more time! One, two, three, go!"
*Clang—*
The crate crashed to the ground with a loud thud, shattering the lid. A sunflower-colored ball rolled out of the box.
"Lingxi?"
Huo Yanxing lunged forward just in time to catch Huo Lingxi’s head, preventing it from hitting the stone steps. The little girl’s hair was a total bird’s nest, and she had a piece of red satin draped over her head, looking utterly ridiculous. She didn't care at all; she wrapped her arms around Huo Yanxing’s neck and stood up, greeting them cheerfully: "Hehe, hello Third Uncle! Hello Third Aunt!"
"Hello... hello..." Lu Qingyuan was at a loss for words.
Huo Yanxing scanned the surroundings, his gaze settling behind the stone lion at the entrance of the Lu Residence.
"Stop hiding. Come out, all of you."
Behind the stone lion hid a reclining chair with Huo Yunyang sitting on it, with Huo Yunyao crouched behind the chair, and a looking-exasperated Ling Tao.
"Huo Yunyao, I told you this wouldn't work."
"Huo Yunyang, as long as Fourth Sister gets into the Lu Residence and helps us open the back door from the inside, the plan will definitely succeed! It must be because... because she’s gained weight lately!"
Ling Tao reminded them: "Father is calling for us..."
"Huo Yunyao, don't you know your etiquette? Outside, you should call me Second Brother."
"Dream on!"
Listening to the twins start their bickering again, Ling Tao let out a long sigh. If he had known, he wouldn’t have gotten involved in this mess. If it weren't for...
Just then, a roar rang in his ears:
"Get out here!"