While the two pairs of servants were competing against each other in the orphanage, the masters in the Xiao family’s old residence were having a pleasant conversation.
Today’s feast was held at Qianqiu Pavilion at noon. Although the invitation was issued by Fourth Master Xiao, the elders from the old residence didn’t attend, saying it was a banquet for young people, and to let the young people be more at ease, the older generation wouldn’t participate.
The carriages had been waiting at the gate since early morning. Before Tie Ci and the others had finished their morning toilette, sudden commotion arose outside. The Xiao family had always been well-mannered and would never barge in rashly. Tie Ci poked her head out to look and saw a girl wearing a blue cloth robe with an enormous bundle on her back hurrying through the covered corridor straight toward Second Senior Brother’s room in the eastern wing. Tie Ci called out in delighted surprise: “…Third Senior Sister, how did you come here!”
The girl was in such a hurry that she didn’t turn back, only waved her hand carelessly behind her, then kicked open Le Wuxun’s door with one foot and jumped onto the bed in three moves. There was a commotion of squawking inside, and moments later, Le Wuxun was dragged out shirtless, Third Senior Sister pinching his ear. She had also conveniently grabbed an outer robe from her arm and threw it over Le Wuxun’s head, saying: “Master’s experiment is at a crucial stage, and he instructed you to go and return quickly. Instead, you’ve been gallivanting around until now, forcing me to abandon my account books to find you. I still have a whole room of account books to organize! Hurry up! I want to see you get in the carriage within a quarter hour!”
Tie Ci stepped forward: “Third…”
Third Senior Sister waved her hand again, rummaging through her bundle with the other hand. She pulled out an account book and threw it aside, then pulled out another account book and threw that aside too. Tie Ci knew her temperament and suppressed her laughter while picking up the account books and arranging them neatly. Third Senior Sister would need to stuff them back later, and would panic if one was missing.
Looking carefully at Third Senior Sister, no wonder she hadn’t recognized her at first glance. The girl’s delicate oval face had dark circles hanging down to her cheekbones, making her look like a giant panda at first sight.
It seemed she’d need to write another congratulatory message to Master, congratulating her on her flourishing wealth and increasing riches.
Third Senior Sister pulled out several account books, an abacus, and several counting rods before finally finding what she wanted at the very bottom—a small bundle that bulged here and there. She threw it to Tie Ci, saying: “This is what Master asked me to bring you, some new gadgets she recently developed. Use them for now. Master needs Second Brother, so I’m taking him away. Be careful yourself. Some of these things might help you.”
Tie Ci hurriedly caught it and thanked Master, then said apologetically: “If I had known Second Senior Brother still had important sect duties, I would have packed him up and sent him back earlier.”
“Exactly. This unreliable thing usually has his nose in the air, but now he can’t move his legs when he sees a woman?” Third Senior Sister said. “You know his skills are good, and Master can’t do without him, especially since First Senior Brother has gone to sea. Later when Master finishes her work, we’ll see which brother or sister to send to accompany you—not this unreliable one.”
Tie Ci thought to herself that Master must be researching some new curious thing again. Second Senior Brother had exceptional talent in this area—the umbrella that saved her last time was made by him finding materials himself. This time he was probably reluctant to leave Feiyu, otherwise he would have returned long ago.
She smiled: “Master’s affairs are important, and all the senior brothers and sisters have their duties. I have plenty of people here, so Master needn’t worry.”
Third Senior Sister didn’t waste words, nodding: “Anyway, if Master gets anything good, you’ll definitely have a share.” She turned and grabbed Le Wuxun’s ear: “Let’s go, let’s go.”
Le Wuxun said angrily: “You’re my junior sister—can’t you learn from Shiba and show some respect!”
“Bah.” Third Senior Sister said: “This old lady is older than you.”
Le Wuxun struggled from her clutches and turned back toward the inside, calling out to Feiyu who had come out hearing the noise: “Sister Yu, I’m leaving first. Wait for me—I’ll send you the newest and most interesting gadgets in the world later, and then…”
“Then she’ll definitely take the newest and most interesting gadgets you sent as dowry when she marries someone.” Tie Ci interrupted, grabbing his shoulder and pulling together his loosely draped clothes that exposed half his chest, then tossing him into the carriage Third Senior Sister had brought: “Off you go, no farewell!”
Third Senior Sister shouldered her large bundle full of account books, the golden abacus on her lapel jingling, and leaped onto the carriage shaft. Inside the curtained carriage, someone was struggling to get out, but Third Senior Sister kicked the carriage door shut with a bang, and the world became quiet.
Third Senior Sister flicked her whip, and though she looked refined, the crack resounded as if the entire heaven and earth were buzzing. The carriage shot forward like mad, disappearing in the blink of an eye at the end of the white stone road.
The Xiao family guards watching the courtyard only now came panting to catch up, but how could they match Third Senior Sister’s speed? She couldn’t afford to delay—just this trip to fetch someone probably meant another room full of account books had accumulated.
Tie Ci watched Second Senior Brother depart, then turned back to see a young maid holding wash water waiting there, with Feiyu standing beside her. Since her hand was injured, the maid came to serve with towel and basin, but before she could wipe twice, Feiyu came over and snatched away the towel, saying: “Clumsy hands, move aside.”
Tie Ci found this amusing—these maids were all trained in great mansions, so how could they not serve properly for washing faces?
She didn’t expose this, slightly raising her face and obediently letting Feiyu take care of her. The warm towel slowly wiped across her face, the heat making her skin slightly tingle. Feiyu’s fingernails were jade-cool, and when her fingertips occasionally touched skin, both paused slightly.
Feiyu carefully wiped her face, seeing it become slightly red and warm with moisture, her eyelashes sparkling with crystal drops, and her eyebrows curved and long and black. Somehow, in this posture, she seemed to have gained some tender and graceful charm. His heart stirred, and he was about to smile and say she really had some feminine delicacy, when he saw Tie Ci had already opened her eyes.
Once this person opened her eyes, they were like warm lustrous pearls with flowing divine light that couldn’t be stared at directly. The tender and graceful air from before instantly vanished, replaced by an inviolable noble aura pervading her entire being.
Tie Ci saw the strange look in her eyes and smiled: “Don’t be infatuated with your brother—brother is just a legend.”
Feiyu chuckled, thinking what kind of girl was this?
A faint regret arose in her heart, and she couldn’t help sighing.
Suddenly she looked around: “Where are Chi Xue and Dan Shuang?”
“I arranged other duties for them,” Tie Ci said.
She waited for Feiyu to continue asking, but Feiyu didn’t ask anymore, waving the towel and saying she was going to wash up.
Tie Ci said nothing.
Both knew in their hearts that each had a pile of secrets. Both wanted to speak but had reservations, both hoped the other would confess to them first, yet feared what would happen if they fell out after confessing.
Tie Ci stood there, thinking about what method to use to dissolve the marriage contract without angering Liaodong or affecting the court situation. She knew that now was definitely not a good time—her wings weren’t fully grown, and giving Liaodong an excuse would be giving the Xiao family an opportunity, but…
Looking at Feiyu’s flowing sleeves as she walked away, she sighed.
Heroes can’t overcome the beauty trap!
…
Author’s Note: Updates will be fewer recently. No choice—I need to do a burst of updates next month. Then the children will be on summer vacation and I need to take care of them. My saved drafts are already sounding beeping alarms.