Full House Spring

Chapter 116 Kuang Chengrui Returns

Even though Zhong Huiting had thousands of words in her heart, they all turned into a bitter smile. This matter was really hard to describe.

She was silent for a moment and then sighed, "Actually, my third cousin wasn't like this before. Although he was rebellious and eccentric, he wouldn't mess around. If you think about it carefully, the change started when he met the county lieutenant Hu. It must be him who led my cousin astray."

Xia Li said in a leisurely and meaningful tone, "You are quite good at turning the tables. Anyone with a discerning eye knows that it was Third Master Zhang who was pestering County Magistrate Hu. Now that he is not in Laizhou, Third Master Zhang is going crazy on his own. Can you blame anyone else?"

Zhong Huiting raised her voice slightly and said, "So what? It was obviously him who seduced my cousin first. My third cousin is inexperienced, so how can County Magistrate Hu be the same? It's all his fault anyway."

Xia Li was too lazy to discuss these unimportant things with her, so he changed the subject and asked, "You just smelled the new perfume, how do you feel it smells?"

Zhong Huiting's eyes lit up, and she smiled and said, "These scents are all very nice. When did you come up with the recipe? Weren't you busy preparing for your wedding?"

Xia Li reached out and picked up the bottle of perfume, gently shaking the glass bottle, and said calmly: "These are all blended before, but not all of them are on display. New products will come out from time to time, which can also give customers more freshness..."

Before she finished her words, she glanced through the attic window and inadvertently saw a familiar figure downstairs. Xia Li's expression restrained slightly. She put down her perfume, said a few words in a hurry and ran away.

Zhong Huiting watched her run out in a daze until her figure disappeared. Then she realized what was happening and stretched her head to look out the window, only to see Xia Li following a young man in a blue spring shirt.

Shi Mi quickened her pace and followed Xia Li closely. When she suddenly saw Master Yan San, she was also very surprised.

Master Yan San looked a little downcast at the moment. He was pushing a wheelbarrow with a motionless woman lying inside. Shi Mi guessed that it was Tao Yao.

What Shi Mi could guess, Xia Li could naturally guess as well. When the old lady passed away, Tao Yao was in very good health. How could she become ill so soon?
Lu Lingyan was immersed in the grief of losing his mother and did not notice Xia Li approaching. It was not until they walked out of the street that Xia Li tentatively called out, "Lu Lingyan...what happened?"

Lu Lingyan stopped walking when he heard the familiar voice. He turned around and said in a hoarse voice, "Aren't you married? Why are you back? Yes... I'm going to return home on the third day..."

This statement showed that he knew a lot about Xia Li. He had definitely been in Laizhou for more than one or two days. Xia Li stared at his face and said slowly, "When did you arrive in Laizhou? What happened to Miss Taoyao?"

Lu Lingyan was extremely depressed, as if the whole world had become dark and gloomy. He coughed lightly and whispered, "I have nowhere to go with my mother, so I just followed your footsteps and came to Laizhou. As long as I am away from the Lu family, it doesn't matter where I go. My mother... has passed away, so it's a good opportunity for you to come with me to see her off."

Xia Li couldn't say no, so she followed Lu Lingyan. Du Ruo secretly pulled Shi Mi's skirt and asked quietly, "Who is this person? Will he hurt our girl?"

Shi Mi shook her head and said concisely: "This is the Third Master of the Duke's Mansion. He is not a bad guy. You can relax."

It was enough for Du Ruo as long as she could ensure Xia Li's safety. Although they brought guards with them when they left the house this time, there were only five of them. She was afraid that if there was an emergency, they would be caught off guard.

Lu Lingyan seemed to have found a tomb long ago. He pushed Taoyao straight to the destination. Xia Li ordered the guards to prepare a thin coffin and sacrificial items, and then continue to follow him.

After walking for half an hour, they finally arrived at a beautiful place with beautiful mountains and rivers. Lu Lingyan stopped and started digging a grave. His red eyes and silent appearance were quite sad to see.

Xia Li did not refuse the help of the guards beside him. After Tao Yao was buried, Xia Li followed him in a pious worship. Lu Lingyan knelt in front of the tomb and burned paper money. The firelight made his face red. He said in a cold voice:
"My mother has been depressed since she left the Duke's Mansion. After she knew that I was the one who plotted to kill that beast, she refused to pay any attention to me. I can't understand why she treated me like this when I tried my best to save her from suffering."

Xia Li hesitated for a while and whispered, "Perhaps she is not doing this for herself, but just wants to force you to return to the mansion. In the Cheng'en Marquis's mansion, you are at least the third master Yan, who has a strong backing, but you are nothing if you leave the mansion. It is so difficult for you to make a career on your own. She just doesn't want you to have a hard time."

Hearing this, Lu Lingyan couldn't help but sneer, "Does staying here mean I'll have a future? Lu Lingchuan can't even take care of himself, so who can take care of me? In the end, I still have to rely on myself. My mother can't figure it out, or maybe she doesn't believe in my ability at all."

After that, he looked at Xia Li with a burning gaze and asked in a deep voice, "Do you think I can make a name for myself without the support of the mansion?"

Xia Li's voice deepened slightly, and she said seriously: "Although you have an unruly personality, you are both civil and military, brave and resourceful. As long as you are willing to use them in the right way, you will be able to make a name for yourself sooner or later."

Lu Lingyan raised his eyebrows, looked at her, and said slowly: "Do you resent what I did to you?"

Xia Li frowned, stood up from the ground, and said calmly:

"There is no question of resentment. No matter whether it is direct or indirect, some damage has been done and it cannot be repaired."

Lu Lingyan smiled bitterly, "So you won't forgive me, right?"

Xia Li retracted his gaze, pursed his lips slightly, and said without changing his expression: "It is my duty to come to pay tribute to Miss Tao Yao, and I won't mention anything else."

Lu Lingyan seemed calm on the surface, but his heart was filled with resentment and unwillingness. He said in a deep voice:
"I'm not a coward like Lu Lingchuan. I'll come back to you when I've sorted out my inner thoughts. The man from the Kuang family does have some abilities, but he may not be able to bring you happiness. I don't mind what you've been through. We have a long way to go."

After that, he clasped his fists and bowed to Xia Li, and continued: "Thank you for coming to pay tribute to my mother. She will be very pleased in heaven."

Xia Li raised his hand slightly, automatically ignored his words, and said calmly:

"It's my duty. After all, we know each other. It's getting late. I should go back home. Please do as you please."

Lu Lingyan was a very evil person. Xia Li regretted her meddling, but she couldn't just ignore him. When they got on the carriage, Shi Mi hesitated and asked, "Miss, should we inform the Cheng Enbo Mansion of the news about Master Yan San?" Xia Li's eyebrows did not fluctuate at all. She said calmly, "No need. I have no contact with them. There is no need to cause trouble. Whether Master Yan San returns to the mansion or continues to wander is his own business."

Shi Mi agreed softly. She knew some of the inside story. Miss Taoyao was gone, and there was no one in the world who truly cared about Master Yan San. If he went back, he would only be a thorn in the eyes of the first wife. It would be better for him to live freely outside.

Xia Li went back to the Fang Mansion to pay her respects to her mother first. She would stay one more night tomorrow at most and then return to the Kuang Family. Although the Old Master and Yu said that it was okay for her to stay a few more days, she could not break the rules. Everything should be done in moderation.

There was still no news from Kuang Chengrui, but Xia Li was not too anxious. Since he could make another contribution, it proved that his safety was not a problem. She just had to wait patiently.

In the main courtyard, Rong did not ask her why she came back late. The restrictions on married women in the Jin Dynasty were not that strict. Xia Li was actually freer than before marriage. She had dinner with her parents. Her eldest brother was out for a banquet, and her eldest sister-in-law had a poor appetite in the past two days, so the mother and daughter had dinner in their own courtyard.

Since there were no outsiders present in the family of three, they did not have to follow the rule of not talking while eating. Fang Zongru talked about the selection of candidates in the palace. Gao Mingyu entered the palace as she wished, and was promoted to a noble lady when she first entered the palace, which was considered the highest-ranking concubine.

Prime Minister Gao was able to remain standing even after His Majesty ascended the throne, which shows his ability. Empress Lu has such a strong enemy eyeing her covetously, and it is unknown whether she can survive. Xia Li asked curiously: "The eldest prince was born for some time. Has anyone in the court proposed to establish a crown prince?"

Fang Zongru nodded slightly and said in a steady voice: "Some court officials have submitted memorials, and the court has also discussed this matter, but the emperor has ignored it. No one knows what the emperor is planning."

Xia Li pondered for a moment and said, "Those who succeeded to the throne smoothly are very few in all dynasties. I think this position of crown prince is unlucky. If Queen Lu is really smart, she should keep a low profile and be patient to raise the eldest prince. It won't be too late to fight for power and the throne when the eldest prince grows up."

Fang Zongru said nonchalantly, "Empress Lu is at the center of power. She has no say in this matter. It all depends on what the emperor plans to do. It is not without benefits for the Gao family's daughter to enter the palace to compete with her. At least it can distract the eldest prince's attention. When more heirs are born in the palace in the future, he will not be so conspicuous."

Looking at this from another angle, it wasn't so bad. Rong used the serving chopsticks to pick up some dishes and put them in Fang Zongru's bowl. She said slowly, "Don't talk about this. Let's eat quickly. The food is getting cold."

Xia Li and her father smiled at each other, and they obediently stopped talking and lowered their heads to eat. After dinner, Xia Li slowly walked back to Cuihua Court. When she finished washing up and returned to the bedroom, she saw Kuang Chengrui sitting upright in front of the table.

Xia Li's eyes widened instantly, his face full of surprise, and he asked loudly: "When did you come back? Have you dealt with the matters at the guard post?"

Kuang Chengrui stared at Xia Li with a sharp gaze. He said in a low voice, "The errand has been completed. I don't want to wait any longer. I will come to see you as soon as possible."

Xia Li's face showed a little joy. A good man who cares about his wife and takes care of his family deserves praise. She walked lightly to his side and sat down, saying softly, "Are you injured? Do you want Du Ruo to take your pulse?"

Kuang Chengrui naturally held her hand and whispered, "No need, you just got some minor skin injuries, they have been taken care of, I won't trouble you in the next few days."

Xia Li tilted his head and replied lazily, "What's the problem? Grandfather and grandmother treat me very well, and my parents understand your difficulties. Now that you are back, should we go and pay our respects to them first?"

Kuang Chengrui's eyes unconsciously fell on the porcelain-white skin of her neck, his Adam's apple rolled up and down twice, and he said slowly: "I have already greeted my father-in-law and mother-in-law, you don't have to worry."

At this moment, the servants in the room left on their own accord. Xia Li took out his hand and poured him a cup of hot tea. He asked softly, "I saw that you were frowning just now, as if you were worried about something. Can you tell me about it?"

Kuang Chengrui took the teacup and drank it all. It was as if there was a fire in his body, burning rapidly and fiercely. He stretched out his rough fingertips to rub Xia Li's tender cheek, trying his best to suppress the fire in his body, and said in a hoarse voice: "But I miss you..."

It would have been fine if he had never tasted love before, but from the moment he stepped into this bedroom filled with the scent of summer, he could no longer control his restlessness that had been suppressed for several days.

Xia Li heard his breath becoming rapid, and finally could not bear to refuse, so she stretched out her fingers to hook his belt and led him to the bed. For a moment, the two of them were like mandarin ducks on the lake, sometimes playing in the water, sometimes diving into the water, leaving a series of ripples...

After the incident, Kuang Chengrui embraced Xia Li with tenderness in his eyes, as if all his defenses and tensions had been released in the affair just now. Xia Li still had a blush on her cheeks. She said calmly, "You haven't told me yet what you are worried about."

Kuang Chengrui was a very opinionated person. He would make his own decisions when encountering problems. Occasionally, he would discuss countermeasures with the old man. He was not used to confiding in outsiders, but Xia Li was his bedmate and had a different intelligence from ordinary women. He did not hesitate for too long and said in a low voice:

"Not only did I recover the goods during this mission, I also captured the thief's leader. I accidentally caught the attention of the commander-in-chief, and he intended to transfer me from the garrison to work with him. However, Commander Jiang was reluctant to let me go and planned to give me a promotion."

There was a flash of understanding in Xia Li's eyes, and she said softly:

"So you are hesitant. If you follow the commander-in-chief, you will have to abandon Jiaozhou, which has been under your management for so many years. It may even make Commander Jiang unhappy."

Kuang Chengrui nodded slightly, and he sighed softly, "The Kuang family has been running the business for generations, and they have come to where they are today through steady and solid efforts. If I start over again with the commander-in-chief, I may not have a chance to make a name for myself."

Xia Li smiled and said, "You are a military officer, and you were promoted based on your military achievements. Now that the Dongyi people are ready to make a move and the war is about to break out, are you willing to miss this opportunity?"

A glimmer of enlightenment flashed across Kuang Chengrui's eyes, and he said in a steady voice, "I was obsessed with appearances. I was only thinking about insignificant things, but forgot the most crucial crux. Tomorrow I will bring some good wine to Commander Jiang to express my attitude."

Xia Li raised a faint smile on his lips and said softly:
"You have to remember that some seemingly shortcuts may not really be shortcuts. Although your official position is not very high, it is still beyond the reach of many people. We don't need to rush for success."

Kuang Chengrui nodded in agreement. He said frankly, "I was too anxious. Next time, I won't hesitate. Only when I put my feet on solid ground can I walk steadily. It's better to do something that is sure to win."

Xia Li knew that Kuang Chengrui was not a superficial person. Her advice made him feel more confident and he was no longer confused about the future.

(End of this chapter)