Thrown out of the house, the wet nurse enters the noble household and becomes a person of high statu

Pei Zeyu took the exchange note, and Liu Wenying didn't say anything more.

She didn't care about those things anyway. Two complete strangers who had never met before, no matter how many nice words they wrote, it was just a few words on a piece of paper.

If he wants to keep it, then so be it.

After they finished their tea, Liu Wenying smiled and said, "It's a rare treat for Second Master to come all this way, how about I take you for a walk around the estate?"

Pei Zeyu smiled, took her hand, and the two walked out the door together.

In early summer, the trees in Zhiyun Manor are lush and green, and the wind rustles through the leaves.

The two walked side by side on the ridge of the field. Liu Wenying pointed to the newly planted mulberry seedlings in the distance and talked in detail about her plans for next year.

She spoke in great detail and with great care, but Pei Zeyu, unusually, didn't listen to a single word she said.

Although he was listening with his head turned to the side, his gaze always fell on her profile, which was bathed in soft sunlight.

He had only one thought in his mind: he was about to be hooked by her and become a fish with a sly snout.

I miss her day and night, wishing I could see her more often and etch her whole being into my eyes.

They had no time to appreciate the serene scenery around them.

The people in the village, seeing this from afar, all lowered their heads and gave way, their expressions respectful.

Occasionally, a bolder person would steal a glance and see that the gentle and aloof Second Master now had relaxed eyebrows and eyes, a faint smile on his lips, so soft that he seemed to melt into spring water.

As the sun gradually set in the west, it dyed the entire mulberry field orange-red.

Liu Wenying eventually escorted Pei Zeyu to the gate of the manor, where a carriage was already prepared.

Afu sat on the carriage shaft, holding the reins, waiting for him to get on.

Pei Zeyu remained motionless, only looking at Liu Wenying.

Liu Wenying felt a little uncomfortable and lowered her eyes to remind him, "Second Master, be careful on the road."

A sigh came from above, and as if a tangible gaze had shifted away, Pei Zeyu turned to get into the car.

After thinking it over, Liu Wenying called out to him again.

"Second Master."

Pei Zeyu immediately stopped, and before he could utter the words "heart and soul," Liu Wenying stuffed the object in her hand into his arms.

It was a sachet, blue in color, embroidered with a few bamboo leaves.

"It's filled with dried mulberry leaves and mint, which are refreshing and invigorating. Second Master can smell them if he gets tired on the road."

Pei Zeyu took the sachet; the fabric was soft, and he held it in his palm.

He wished he could take her back to his mansion with him and never be separated from her again.

But he also knew that she now had responsibilities as the head of Zhiyun Manor and could not be too domineering.

Unable to suppress the flutter in his heart, Pei Zeyu grabbed her waist.

Liu Wenying looked up in surprise, her lips already sealed by his.

The kiss came suddenly and passionately, carrying a long-suppressed longing, as it lingered on her soft lips.

Beside the carriage shaft, Afu and Ajin immediately turned their backs, not daring to look any longer.

As dusk settled, the afterglow of the sunset painted the entire mulberry field in a warm glow.

Since then, Pei Zeyu has come every month during his time off.

Sometimes I stay for a day, sometimes for two days, but I don't do anything.

Accompany her for a walk, look at the silkworms, look at the mulberry trees, and watch Luo Luo, who is growing up day by day, chasing chickens and dogs in the yard.

He came frequently, and Liu Wenying gradually got used to it, even preparing special utensils for him in the room.

Everything—cushions, tea sets, tableware, even the incense—was replaced with his usual ones, all according to his preferences.

In late summer, the silkworms spin their cocoons, the silk reeling is just finished, and preparations begin for weaving silk fabrics.

With new techniques and new processes, Liu Wenying was busy again.

But she maintains a good balance; when she has a spare moment, she will take Luo Luo for a walk around the estate.

Gradually, she noticed the changes around Zhuangzi.

It's not the changing seasons that cause plants to wither and flourish, it's people.

Around Zhuangzi, there were more and more people in twos and threes, dressed in tattered clothes. At first, there were only a few scattered people, but later they gradually formed groups, with their families in tow, and they were all emaciated and pale.

She frowned and stopped, when she suddenly noticed a little girl squatting by the mulberry field.

The child was about eight or nine years old, so thin he was just skin and bones, and he was staring longingly at the smoke rising from the village.

Liu Wenying inherited the original owner's memories. Moved by the scene, she recalled the original owner's age when she fled the famine, and how she was just as old and thin.

Her nose tingled with emotion, and she asked Granny Wang to bring her a bowl of porridge and steamed buns.

"Eat."

The little girl was initially incredulous, but then timidly took the food and began to wolf it down.

Liu Wenying squatted down. "Where are you from?"

"There's a war in the north... The Northern Barbarians are attacking. My father died, and my mother took me to escape, but she also died of illness on the way..."

The child mumbled, porridge dripping from the corner of his mouth, which he caught with his hand and fed back.

Liu Wenying asked in surprise, "Why did the Northern Barbarians suddenly start a war?"

The little girl shook her head. "I don't know. Many people are fleeing south, saying there's food and shelter in the capital."

She finished the last mouthful of porridge and a bite of steamed bun, her eyes still fixed on the empty bowl.

If you haven't eaten for too long, eating too much will damage your stomach.

Liu Wenying slipped her a copper coin. The child knew that even if she couldn't beg for food, having money was still good. Afraid that she would regret it and take it back, she immediately ran away.

Liu Wenying stood still for a long time.

A gentle breeze swept across the mulberry fields, bringing a refreshing coolness.

She suddenly remembered Master Pei, who was thousands of miles away, the young man who used to ride his horse through the streets and laugh wildly.

When the Northern Barbarians went to war with the Great Wei, it was these border guards who were the first to bear the brunt.

I wonder if he's alright...

Located in the northern border region, Tiema Pass is dry and cold in late summer, especially the night wind which carries a chill.

Pei Yaojun stayed in the military camp for half a year, spending his days training, patrolling, chopping wood, and feeding horses, never having a moment of rest from morning till night.

He had become much darker from the sun, and the arrogance of a noble young man from the capital had long been worn away by the wind and sand of the border region, replaced by calmness and fortitude.

Due to the surprise attack by the Northern Barbarians, the imperial court dispatched General Shentu to lead the battle.

Military affairs are complex and require the selection of literate soldiers to be responsible for recording military discussions and organizing military intelligence.

On the drill ground, the sergeant asked each of them one by one, and most of them shook their heads.

Most of these new recruits are from farming families; it's already quite an achievement that they can write their own names.

Pei Yaojun stood silently in the queue with his head bowed.

He wasn't afraid of losing face, but of being recognized and sent back, which would ruin everything.

But Wang Hu had long disliked him.

This guy is usually quiet, but he works harder than anyone else during drills. While others are sound asleep at night, he's secretly reading military books in bed.

Wang Hu thought he was faking it, otherwise why would he be silent now?

Wanting to impress his sergeant, Wang Hu shouted at the top of his lungs, "Sergeant, Pei San can read! I saw him reading military books at night!"

The sergeant's gaze swept over them. "Pei San, step forward!"

Pei Yaojun had no choice but to step forward. The sergeant handed him paper and pen, saying, "Is what Wang Hu said true? If you can read, write a few words and let me see."

Taking the pen, Pei Yaojun raised his wrist and wrote the four characters "Iron Horse and Golden Spear" on the coarse yellow paper.

With its vigorous strokes and graceful structure, it is an exceptionally beautiful work of regular script.

The sergeant raised an eyebrow. Wang Hu also noticed the large characters on the paper. He didn't recognize them, but he could tell they were exceptionally well-written.

The soldiers around him whispered among themselves, and the way they looked at Pei Yaojun changed.

That kind of beautiful handwriting isn't something a rascal from a poor, remote village could develop.

"If you're so capable, why didn't you step forward earlier?"

The sergeant stared at Pei Yaojun and shouted sternly.

"We're going into battle tomorrow, you bunch of greenhorns, are you already scared before the fight even begins!?"

…………