Four Harmonies and Good Fortune

Chapter 336: Comprehensive
Guo Xiong hadn't fully grasped what was going on, and naturally couldn't imagine how this lady would meet Feng Erniang. He considered himself quite clever, but in front of this lady, he felt like a fool.

After a moment's thought, Guo Xiong couldn't help but ask, "What should the eldest daughter-in-law do after seeing Feng Erniang?"

“Find a way to get her out,” Xie Yuyan said. “If she can get out, you will all be safe and sound.”

His words were so calm, as if everything would be settled once Feng Erniang was found.

Guo Xiong was even a little dazed. Wasn't this lady a merchant? How come she didn't have the slightest air of a merchant? Instead, she seemed like a lady from a high-ranking official's family.

Moreover, she was a woman in charge of managing the household affairs.

The more times I met Madam, the more unfathomable she seemed.

"Then we..." Guo Xiong said, "as long as we go to pick up the goods in two days, we don't need to worry about anything else?"

Xie Yuyan nodded, then reminded Guo Xiong: "Tell Guo Chuan the truth at the right time, so that he doesn't give himself away."

Guo Xiong understood. He turned to leave, but just before he was about to go out, he turned back and bowed to Xie Yuyan: "Madam, once this matter is settled, I am willing to work for you for three years."

Xie Yuyan's eyes revealed a faint smile, which was less a sign of happiness and more a response to Guo Xiong.

“It’s to help me manage the fleet,” Xie Yuyan said.

As for whether it will be three years, nobody knows for sure right now.

Guo Xiong felt a huge weight lifted from his heart, and he immediately felt at ease, no longer needing to overthink. Actually, he had his own ulterior motives; by stating his position at this time, he wanted Madam Xie to treat them as one of her own.

But as he spoke, he felt uneasy. A smart person could hear the underlying meaning in his words. If he angered the lady of the house, it would be a loss.

Fortunately, the lady of the house wasn't angry at all; instead, she smiled slightly. She could see through his thoughts, but she didn't care. As long as he didn't scheme against her, she would allow such intentions.

Guo Xiong breathed a sigh of relief, then shook his head. Rather than saying he helped this lady for three years, it would be more accurate to say he had the opportunity to learn from her for three years.

This deal was beneficial to both parties from the beginning, not to mention that the eldest daughter-in-law helped them escape danger and helped the second brother find Feng Erniang.

……

After Guo Xiong left, Yang Xiaoshan came over and whispered, "The Wang family has brought everything that Madam wanted, and there's also a letter from Lord Wang."

Xie Yuyan didn't rush to look at the contents. Instead, he took the sealed tube, took out the letter inside, and opened it.

The first two words that catch the eye are: Wu Qing.

Xie Yuyan felt a sudden panic, and her cheeks flushed uncontrollably.

No one has ever called her that before.

While these two words can be used between close friends, using them between men and women seems too intimate.

These are phrases used only between husband and wife.

If he is completely wrong, then no; if she really questions him, he will surely try to argue his point.

Xie Yuyan continued reading.

—Seeing this letter is like seeing you in person; opening it brings a smile to my face. Since the day we parted, we have had little communication, and my longing for you has only grown stronger each day. Every night, when all is quiet and the lamp is lit, I think of you and my heart is filled with uneasy emotions. Fortunately, I have received this letter from home, which eases my longing.

Just then, Madam Yu brought tea into the room, and Empress Dowager Xie, who had been calm and composed all along, almost nervously closed the letter in her hand.

Xie Yuyan took a deep breath.

When the person wasn't around, he became even bolder, daring to write down anything he wanted to say.

Thinking about it carefully, Wang Yan seemed to have always been like this. Although there were some things he didn't say when he met her, everything he did was exceptionally resolute, giving her no chance to hesitate. Just like when he personally applied medicine to her foot, he laid his heart bare before her, without hiding or avoiding anything.

The next part of the letter said that everything had been prepared for her, and he would arrange for someone to meet her; all she had to do was hang the token on the carriage beforehand.

The token was placed in a box, which was a lifelike flower of plum blossom and dogwood.

Xie Yuyan had once made one for Wang Yan, but the one Wang Yan sent was clearly a new one.

Xie Yuyan put the lifelike flower back into the box.

Let's look at the last sentence of the letter: I hope you take good care of yourself and return safely.

He already knew what she was going to do.

After folding the letter, Xie Yuyan intended to instruct Mama Yu to put it away, but after a moment's hesitation, she didn't ask anyone else to do it and instead took it herself and put it into a box in the inner room.

Madam Yu pretended not to see anything and stood quietly to the side, trying to think about other things, but she was immediately stopped. How could she possibly think about her master's private affairs? She couldn't just pretend to be blind when she was caught in the act.

After Xie Yuyan came out, Yu's mother followed Xie Yuyan to open a few more boxes.

The box contained clothes and utensils.

Mother Yu looked down and saw at least three sets of dresses. They looked like ordinary fabrics, but the stitches were fine and dense, clearly not made by an ordinary embroiderer.

There were also several sets of inner garments, which were made of brocade.

Madam Yu couldn't help but look at Xie Yuyan. Ordinary people and merchants couldn't wear brocade, so she naturally knew that Madam Xie wasn't wearing these things for pleasure.

What is that for?
Besides the undergarment, there was a small box sealed with the embroidery shop's seal. Xie Yuyan knew that this was a woman's private garment, which might be opened by others. Therefore, the embroiderer sealed it after finishing it. If the seal was intact when the box reached its owner, it proved that nothing had gone wrong during the process, and the woman could wear it with peace of mind.

Xie Yuyan didn't know whether to say that Wang Yan was very polite and followed the rules, even thinking of this, or to say that he deliberately took advantage of a loophole to send her personal clothing.

This is something she didn't put on the list.

Xie Yuyan tore off the seal, opened the box, and sure enough, inside were a pink gauze bodice and a light blue silk bellyband.

Xie Yuyan wanted to sigh. The future prime minister of Liang must be really meticulous. One long and one short, one item for each, thoughtful in every way. Did he even prepare shoes for her?

Thinking this, I looked down and sure enough, there was a stack of silk shoes.

In addition, there were purses, sachets, fragrant silk belts, brocade belts, and even an agate necklace.

Xie Yuyan didn't know what to say. There were some things she wanted, and Wang Yan took the opportunity to smuggle quite a few of them. As for the rest of the items, everything was provided except for the wedding robe pendant.

Even Madam Yu was dazzled by what she saw. After all, Lord Wang came from a prestigious family, and everything he did was steady, accurate, and ruthless. If one didn't know better, they would think it was a betrothal gift.

Look, they've made several pairs of shoes: sheepskin boots, embroidered shoes, and slippers. The embroidered shoes are adorned with large pearls, and the quality of those pearls is clearly exceptional.

There were even satin pillows and brocade robes.

A tea set to carry with me, and several embroidered handkerchiefs.

There was even a dress that, judging by the size, was probably prepared for her.

Mother Yu kept chanting Amitabha Buddha in her heart, wishing she could bring over all the best things in her house.

Such meticulousness and thoughtfulness would move even a clay sculptor.

(End of this chapter)