Full House Spring

Chapter 34 Slow things down
She felt a chill down her spine and stammered, "No...why don't you hope for my well-being?"

Bai Shao seemed to have found an outlet to release her emotions and continued to complain:
"We have been sisters for so many years, and I have never argued with you about who is better than whom. Yet you are so jealous of me. I have loved you in vain."

Her eyes were red, as if she had suffered great injustice. Xia Li's smile disappeared, replaced by a helpless expression.

At this time, you should try your best to calm Bai Shao down. If she loses control of her emotions, the conversation will not be able to continue.

Xia Li sighed and said calmly, "Think about it, sister. If you make a scene and become deserted by everyone, can I leap forward and become the most indispensable person around the ancestor?"

Bai Shao was stunned. In fact, most of the clothes the old lady wore in recent years were made by Xia Li. She had long replaced her position in the old lady's mind.

But on the surface, Xia Li still respected her and Shi Mi, and never relied on Nanny Xie's support to suppress them. He always treated them kindly and people could not find fault with him.

A look of sorrow appeared on her face, and she choked up as she said, "I know you mean well, but I've already fallen in love with you, and it's so hard to withdraw. Is Yang Yong really not worthy of entrusting your life to?"

Xia Li took out a handkerchief from his sleeve and wiped her tears, saying softly:

"I don't know what kind of temperament Guard Yang has, but it is an indisputable fact that he asked you to rush to the front. If he really cared about you, he would not watch you in a difficult situation with cold eyes."

Bai Shao's breathing stagnated, and she lowered her eyes to defend herself, "He doesn't have any guards in the mansion, so even if he wants to stand in front of me, he can't..."

Xia Li sneered and said, "You know the truth. Daughters choose husbands to live a stable life and choose fathers for their children, not to overcome difficulties and alleviate poverty."

Bai Shao looked at her as she fell into silence. Xia Li knew that too much is as bad as too little, and didn't want to push her too hard.

She didn't want to meddle in other people's business, but Bai Shao had called her sister for so many years, and she couldn't just watch her fall into an irretrievable situation.

After a while, Bai Shao smiled self-deprecatingly, and said in a hoarse voice:
"Maybe what you said is right, but how should I deal with it?"

Xia Li's gentle face was as cold as the rain at dusk, but Bai Shao inexplicably trusted her. She said calmly:

"Sister, please don't have any private dealings with him. I'll ask someone to find out his background first. If he has bad intentions and a despicable character, we'll cut the Gordian knot."

Bai Shao's face was tense. Under Xia Li's silent gaze, she finally bit her lips and nodded in agreement.

Xia Li felt a little relieved and lowered his voice and asked, "Has my sister ever given him any private items?"

Bai Shao's cheeks turned pale instantly. She trembled and said, "I once gave him a purse that I embroidered myself..."

Xia Li's eyes became fierce, and he gritted his teeth and said, "I will find a way to get the purse back. As long as you refuse to admit it, there is still room for maneuver, including the dendrobium..."

Bai Shao's eyes widened slightly, with a hint of surprise flashing across her pupils. Xia Li said seriously:
"Everyone in the mansion knows how smart Steward Shi is. You have also seen how Sister Shi Mi behaves. Shi Hu may seem simple and honest, but he is able to surpass the eldest wife's roommate and become the prince's long-term attendant. His ability is not comparable to Yang Yong.

It's just that you have a preconceived notion and don't want to understand him. If your parents expect you to marry someone rich and powerful and want you to be someone's concubine, you don't have to care about it, but they are wholeheartedly planning for you, you really should think about it carefully. "

Bai Shao's mouth was tightly shut, with a thoughtful look in her eyes. Xia Li said again:

"Yang Yong is a free man who has not signed a contract to sell himself. If he is living a normal life, he can make a choice... But he should never, ever, instigate you to ask the ancestors for help without your parents. He is harming you..."

Bai Shao let out a long sigh. Recalling her previous impulsiveness, she couldn't help but frowned, but soon relaxed again. She said calmly, "I'll listen to you. Things will turn out well if you take your time. I can wait anyway."

Xia Li finally felt relieved. She stood up and said, "I'm glad you understand. I have to report to the old ancestor, so I won't say more to you. Just wait for my news."

Bai Shao nodded gently. This matter had a rule and she didn't want to dwell on it too much. Otherwise, it would be very hurtful to not be able to sleep all night.

The snow outside had finally stopped, and the mansion was decorated with white snow everywhere, creating a pleasing scene that heralded a good harvest. When Xia Li returned to Leshou Hall, there were still little maids playing snowball fights, so she took a detour to avoid disturbing their interest.

As soon as she stepped into the inner courtyard, she saw Shi Mi standing under the eaves. Seeing her, she scolded her, "How come you disappeared in the blink of an eye? Where did you sneak off to be lazy again?"

Xia Li chuckled and said, "I asked the purchasing manager to bring me some embroidery thread. It's nothing else. When did you come back?"

Shi Mi said affectionately, "I just came back too. My brother came just now. That silly boy asked me to give this bag of maltose to Bai Shao. He seems to be very interested in Bai Shao. I saw that Bai Shao seemed reluctant. She has been acting mysterious these days and I don't know what she is busy with."

Xia Li raised her long and thick eyebrows in a graceful arc, and she said gently: "Maybe something happened to Sister Bai Shao at home. She has a childish temper and is the most innocent person. It is also possible that she is ashamed to see you and is hiding on purpose."

Shi Mi chuckled and said in a brisk tone, "It's exactly what she would do. Let's not talk about her anymore. Let's go to our ancestor and report back..."

Xia Li would not tell her about Bai Shao's matter. The best way to deal with it was to resolve it quietly.

Yang Yong was a guard in the mansion and usually spent most of his time in the front yard. Apart from Steward Chai, Xia Li had never had any contact with the men in the front yard. Since Steward Chai went home to retire a year ago, she no longer had any connections in the front yard.

After finding out that the guards would train for half an hour every morning, she deliberately ran over and peeked inside through the crack in the door, hoping to find a familiar face and get close to him. Although she did it in a covert way, it was still very risky.

Yang Yong's stick movements were very beautiful. In this cold winter day, he could even sweat while dancing. It showed that he had some skills. Xia Li was watching intently, not knowing that someone not far away had noticed her extraordinary behavior.

Lu Lingchuan was standing in the corridor wearing a dark green brocade crane cloak. The attendant beside him was Shi Hu. Because the old lady valued Xia Li, the prince often saw her when he paid his respects, so he was very familiar with her figure.

Because of the life-saving grace when he was a child and the constant nagging from the eldest wife, it was hard for Lu Lingchuan not to pay attention to Xia Li. The older she got, the more graceful she became, which was really adorable.

Xia Li knew her limits very well. She never took the initiative to approach him and always greeted him from a distance. Lu Lingchuan thought she was a well-behaved girl who followed the rules, but he didn't expect she would be so out of line.

Shi Hu secretly glanced at the prince, but couldn't tell what he was thinking. He often heard Xia Li's name from his sister, and Bai Shao was also a close friend of her, so of course he knew her.

Shihu looked around and saw that no one was around, so he lowered his voice and said, "Master, do you want me to call Miss Xiali over to answer the question?" Lu Lingchuan was the gentlest person. He looked calm and at ease, and said gently, "No need. I'll go and take a look myself. You don't have to follow me."

Shihu was a little surprised. He murmured a promise and took a step back. Lu Lingchuan walked towards Xia Li with steady steps.

At this moment, Yang Yong had finished his martial arts training. His clothes were soaked with sweat and stuck tightly to his skin. His abdomen looked strong and powerful, shining in the sunlight.

Xia Li looked at him sharply, as if she wanted to penetrate the depths of his soul and see his true face. She murmured unconsciously, "She has a nice figure, no wonder she can arouse people's hearts..."

As soon as she finished speaking, a teasing male voice sounded behind her, "So you like men like this? I didn't realize it."

The sudden voice frightened Xia Li to death. She turned her head stiffly and said in a trembling voice, "How are you, my lord? You misunderstood. That's not the person I like. It's just... this matter cannot be explained in just a few words. Please don't misunderstand me."

Xia Li had never encountered such an embarrassing thing. If she was caught peeking out of envy, it would be fine, but this matter had nothing to do with her, and she really didn't want to be labeled as a shameless person.

If someone else had explained it, Lu Lingchuan might not have believed it, but he had a hunch that Xia Li would not lie. After admiring her embarrassed expression, he said calmly, "If you have anything to say, you can tell me. I can help a little in the front yard."

Xia Li's eyes lit up at first, but when he turned his head and saw Shihu standing not far away, he became a little evasive. Lu Lingchuan narrowed his eyes and said thoughtfully: "Could it be that Shihu is involved in this matter?"

Xia Li was in a dilemma. If she didn't explain clearly, the prince would not give up. If she really brought the matter to the old lady, things would be even more difficult to handle. She said helplessly, "If the prince has nothing urgent, how about we talk somewhere else?"

The people in the guard yard were packing their clothes to go have breakfast. Xia Li didn't want to run into Yang Yong, lest he become alert.

Lu Lingchuan had no intention of making things difficult for her, so he turned around and walked back. Xia Li followed closely behind him, and when they reached Shihu, they looked at each other. Xia Li pulled the corners of his mouth awkwardly, and Shihu smiled comfortingly.

After the three of them walked for a while, Xia Li hesitated as they watched the prince walk straight to the study. Lu Lingchuan went into the room, took off his cloak, and sat in front of the desk. Seeing that she hadn't followed him, he raised his voice and asked, "Do you want to stand outside the door and get some fresh air?"

This study is located in a windy place. After standing there for a while, you can feel the wind blowing through your bones. Xia Li is not a person who sticks to the rules and does not know how to adapt. In the end, he stepped over the threshold and went in.

As soon as she came in, Shihu closed the door. The hot air from the indoor heating blew in her face, and Xiali's nose started to itch. She resisted the urge to sneeze, lowered her eyes and remained silent.

A faint smile appeared on Lu Lingchuan's full and beautiful lips. He said softly, "It's convenient to talk here. You don't have to worry. Since this matter is related to Dendrobium, it doesn't matter if he hears it."

Shihu was staring at the window frame in a daze, not expecting that there was something for him to do. He subconsciously looked at Xia Li. Being stared at by his dark eyes, Xia Li pursed his lips uncomfortably.

She had not expected that things would develop in this direction. She was unsure of what Shihu felt towards Baishao. She could not hide it now, so she simply told him everything. She considered:

"Sister Bai Shao was deceived by the guards. She is simple-minded. I wanted to test the waters first, but I didn't know..."

Shihu's expression of indifference disappeared, and he said with a sullen face: "Miss Xiali, what did that man do to Baishao? Is she injured?"

What Shihu cares most about is Baishao's safety, which shows that he still has some feelings for Baishao, and this makes things much easier.

Xia Li hesitated for a moment, and then told the whole story in a rigorous yet gentle manner. She used extremely obscure words to excuse Bai Shao, and silently guided Shi Hu to pity Bai Shao.

Lu Lingchuan smiled quietly upon hearing this, silently and calmly, and it suddenly flashed across his handsome face. After that, Shihu said angrily:
"Master, this guard Yang clearly wanted to lure Bai Shao out of the house. If Miss Xia Li hadn't discovered it in time, she wouldn't even know that she was taken away and sold. Please help Bai Shao."

Seeing the sincerity between Shihu's eyebrows, Lu Lingchuan asked with a flickering gaze, "Do you really not mind that she has second thoughts?"

Shihu was stunned for a moment, then smiled bitterly and said, "Master, you don't know that although Bai Shao has a smart face, she is actually very ignorant. She has never opened her mind. She usually interacts with girls. It is normal for her to be distracted when a man with ulterior motives comes to tease her. It's all my fault that I neglected her too much..."

There was a flash of surprise in Xia Li's eyes, and then he smiled with relief.

Lu Lingchuan raised his eyebrows slightly and said calmly, "Then Yang Yong can be driven out of the house at any time. Aren't you afraid that Bai Shao will resent you after knowing this?"

Their marriage was not settled yet, and Shihu knew Bai Shao's resistance to him better than anyone else. He frowned and said in distress: "What should we do? Bai Shao has a stubborn temper. If you make her angry, she will do anything."

Lu Lingchuan turned to look at Xia Li and said in a deep voice: "You came to the front yard alone, so you must have a solution to this problem. Why don't you tell me about it?"

Xia Li showed a slightly surprised look on her face, but she didn't keep anyone in suspense. She took a step forward and lowered her voice to tell him the solution she had thought of.

She was eloquent, quick-witted, and spoke in a pleasant voice. When Lu Lingchuan listened attentively, his eyebrows raised slightly, and admiration unconsciously appeared in his eyes.

The three of them made a plan and then acted separately...

Ever since Xia Li discovered her affair that day, Bai Shao hadn't come to see Yang Yong for several days. Yang Yong was a guard in the mansion and an adult man, so he couldn't enter the backyard without reason, so he couldn't help feeling a little anxious.

Although Yang Yong was the youngest son in the family, he was fostered and raised in the home of his uncle, a hunter. He was not close to his parents. Although there were several blue brick and tile houses in the family, he was not included in the family. When he got married, he could only live in a broken thatched house on the mountain.

Previously, his mother asked someone to find him a marriage, but the girl's family asked for a betrothal gift of four taels of silver, which he really could not afford, so he had to give up the matter.

He originally wanted to work in the Duke's Mansion to earn some money to marry a wife. After he came in, he found that the maids in this mansion were prettier than the village girls, so he thought of taking one home to be his wife.

He doesn't have a clear target. As long as he has the chance to come into contact with someone of similar age, he will try every means to flirt with them.

However, things went against his wishes. The maids were either too arrogant or looked down on him. Only Bai Shao looked at him differently.

As long as he said something nice, she would be lost. What an easy-to-fool girl she is.

(End of this chapter)