Chapter 605: A Chance Encounter [Thanks for the support

"Ho~"

"Wow~"

"Heavens, how did she grow like this?"

"So beautiful~"

"Does Noble Consort Rong look just like this?"

Hearing the gasps of the onlookers around them, Xi Bu, standing beside Rong Rong Feiyan, hurriedly reached out to grab the thin gauze of Rong Rong Feiyan's veil hat.

Rong Rong Feiyan, realizing only after the fact, also hurriedly lowered her head and let go of her hands, which had been lifting the thin gauze of her veil hat.

Then, when Rong Rong Feiyan continued to look up at the city wall, Xu Xu Zaijing's figure was gone.

"Everyone! Listen to me! Disperse! Just disperse!"

Brother Qingyun smiled, clasped his hands in a bow, and shouted to the onlookers all around.

After shouting, Brother Qingyun stood on tiptoe, waved toward the Rong family carriage outside the crowd, and called out, "Quick! Come over!"

Seeing that the flamboyant and arrogant young man in brocade, who had been so domineering just moments ago, had been scared into fleeing in panic by a single word from Xu Xu Zaijing on the city wall, the onlookers began to scatter outward.

But there were also men and women standing on Rong Rong Feiyan's side or opposite her who had caught a fleeting glimpse of Rong Rong Feiyan's face.

Regardless of gender or age, although everyone was scattering outward, their movements were slow, and their gazes remained fixed on Rong Rong Feiyan.

Some were hoping Rong Rong Feiyan would lift her veil hat again to reveal her beauty.

Some young ladies and married women, however, focused their gaze on Rong Rong Feiyan's clothes, seemingly studying the coordination of ornaments and clothing colors.

Xi Bu, observing the scene around them, gave Seeing Ningxiang a look and then stood on Rong Rong Feiyan's side.

With the two female servants standing there, they blocked quite a few gazes.

"I already said disperse! What are you still waiting for? Do you want to be whipped?"

A shout full of vigor came from the horse path running along the top and bottom of the city wall.

Xi Bu turned to look and saw a Wei Xiao of the Imperial Guard, who was currently accompanying Xu Xu Zaijing, walking down the horse path toward the base of the city wall.

Behind the two men was a small black pony with sleek, shiny fur.

Hearing this roar, the speed at which the onlookers scattered clearly increased.

Rong Rong Feiyan, who had been blocked by Xi Bu, also poked her head out to glance over at that side.

Afterwards, looking at Seeing Qingcao, Rong Rong Feiyan said, "Seeing Qingcao, how did you two end up at Qi Yiqiu Gate?"

Seeing Qingcao bowed to Rong Rong Feiyan and smiled, saying, "To answer Miss Rong Feiyan, a certain sister gave birth to a child today, so this servant and the Young Master took the opportunity to stop by and take a look."

"Oh!"

Rong Rong Feiyan nodded lightly, while Seeing Ningxiang beside her, upon hearing the phrase "a certain sister," could not hide her eyes and glanced at Seeing Qingcao, her gaze full of speculation.

Rong Rong Feiyan's expression was unreadable behind the veil hat, but seeing Seeing Ningxiang's look, the already clever Seeing Qingcao hurriedly lowered her head and cast her eyes down, saying, "That sister is the biological sister of a comrade-in-arms of Xie Xie Zijue, and she married the younger brother of Wu Da Da Niangzi."

Xi Bu on the other side understood clearly that Seeing Qingcao had looked at Seeing Ningxiang before explaining, so Xi Bu smiled and said, "No wonder Young Master Xu Wu went."

While speaking, Xu Xu Zaijing had already descended the horse path and was walking toward them.

Upon arriving nearby, Xu Xu Zaijing clasped his hands in a bow, and Rong Rong Feiyan, along with the two female servants, hurriedly returned the bow.

The Wei Xiao of the Imperial Guard following beside Xu Xu Zaijing also clasped his hands and said, "This subordinate greets the Third Miss."

"You know me?"

Rong Rong Feiyan asked with a crisp voice from under the veil hat.

The Wei Xiao of the Imperial Guard clasped his hands and replied, "This subordinate followed Yuan Yuan Erlang for a while, and during the previous New Year, I also frequently went to Hou Fu to pay New Year's greetings."

Xi Bu looked at the Wei Xiao of the Imperial Guard, nodded, and smiled, saying, "No wonder Gao Gao Yuhou looked familiar."

The Wei Xiao of the Imperial Guard clasped his hands again, smiled, nodded, and said, "This subordinate has matters to attend to, so I will take my leave first."

Xi Bu bowed and said, "Gao Gao Yuhou, take care on your way."

After the Wei Xiao of the Imperial Guard left, Brother Qingyun led the Rong family carriage over, stood beside Xu Xu Zaijing, and said, "Young Master, just now..."

After Brother Qingyun explained in two sentences, Xu Xu Zaijing nodded and said, "Just now, thank you, Miss Rong Feiyan, for speaking out of righteousness and intervening."

Rong Rong Feiyan looked up at Xu Xu Zaijing and hurriedly waved her hand, saying, "Actually, I didn't play much of a role..."

As she spoke, Rong Rong Feiyan's voice grew lower and lower.

"You did play a role. If no one had scolded that gang of ruffians, who knows how arrogant they would have been," Xu Xu Zaijing said.

Rong Rong Feiyan shook her head lightly, causing the thin gauze of her veil hat to move as well.

Xi Bu, watching her young mistress's demeanor, rolled her eyes and said, "The Young Master is right! That gang of ruffians can't spit out ivory from their dog mouths! Not only did they speak evil words, but they also wanted to slander our family's purity for no reason!"

"As for choosing a husband or not, who knows where they heard that!"

Seeing Ningxiang on the other side hurriedly nodded.

Xu Xu Zaijing nodded, glanced toward the west, and said, "Is Miss Rong Feiyan going to Jinming Pool to boat?"

"Yes! With relatives from my sister-in-law's family."

Rong Rong Feiyan, who had not seen Xu Xu Zaijing for a long time since the Lantern Festival, looked at Xu Xu Zaijing once more through the thin gauze and said, "Xu Wu Ge, I will go home first."

Xu Xu Zaijing clasped his hands and smiled, saying, "Take care."

After finishing, Rong Rong Feiyan turned around, walked to her own carriage parked nearby, stepped on the horse stool, and boarded the carriage.

Inside the carriage compartment, Rong Rong Feiyan, who had already removed her veil hat, lifted the carriage curtain, looked at Xu Xu Zaijing standing nearby, and smiled while nodding.

"Let's go."

The carriage started moving, and after walking seven or eight steps, Seeing Ningxiang, sitting on one side of the carriage compartment, lifted the carriage curtain, turned sideways to look back, and said, "Miss, Young Master Xu Wu is still looking at our carriage."

"That is merely him being polite," Xi Bu finished on the side, then, looking at Rong Rong Feiyan with a smile on her lips, continued, "Miss, just now, that group of people looked at Han Han Wulang like rats looking at a cat."

Rong Rong Feiyan smiled and said, "He dares to beat even the sons of kings, dukes, and marquises, and nothing happens to him after beating them. Today, those people were nothing but embroidered pillows."

Seeing Ningxiang said, "Miss describes it so well! Brocade with tattoos is just embroidering flowers on the body!"

Afterwards, Rong Rong Feiyan's smile slowly faded, and she said, "How can that Dou family act like this! Mother is still alive, yet it looks like my sister-in-law is about to take charge of my family."

"Miss, I think you should go to the palace and ask the Lady yourself!"

The spring breeze outside the carriage brushed against the curtains; as they fluttered, bright light streamed into the compartment, making Rong Rong Feiyan's eyes sparkle.

Leaning against the carriage wall, Rong Rong Feiyan gazed at the scenery through the gap in the curtains and softly hummed an acknowledgment.

On the main street inside Zhou Wansheng Gate,

in Xiaoya Lane,

at the Ni family residence,

Ni Ni Tengyue and his younger brother, both beaming with smiles, accompanied Wei Wei Shuyi, her sister, and Nurse Liu as they walked outward.

Clutching a handkerchief, Nurse Liu smiled at Ni Ni Tengyue and said, "Young Master Yue, you surely didn't rest well last night either; there's no need to see us off!"

"It's just a few steps; it's nothing at all!" Ni Ni Tengyue replied with a laugh.

Nurse Liu nodded with a smile and said, "My Lady said that we are all relatives! If there is anything needed in this household, Young Master Yue, do not stand on ceremony; just tell me directly."

Wei Wei Shuyi, standing nearby, smiled and nodded repeatedly.

Through the connections of the Xu and Zhu families, the Sheng and Ni families could indeed claim kinship.

Just as they neared the gate,

"Whoa~"

the sound of reins being pulled to halt a horse came from outside the main gate.

Nurse Liu laughed and said, "Oh, our family carriage has arrived."

Barely had she finished speaking

when "Whoa~"

came another sound of a horse being reined in.

As the group walked toward the entrance, they happened to see Xu Xu Zaijing and others approaching head-on.

Upon seeing Xu Xu Zaijing, Wei Wei Shuyi, her sister, and Nurse Liu hastily lowered their heads, bowed, and performed a curtsy, saying, "We pay our respects to Fifth Young Master."

Ni Ni Tengyue and his brother also bowed with hands clasped in greeting.

Xu Xu Zaijing smiled, returned the salute with clasped hands, nodded, and said, "You all are too polite! Are you heading back?"

Nurse Liu and Wei Wei Shuyi hurriedly answered in the affirmative.

Wei Wei Yima Wei had met Xu Xu Zaijing before and had spoken with him several times, so she was not entirely unfamiliar with him.

Yet when Wei Wei Yima Wei looked at Xu Xu Zaijing, a slight hint of puzzlement appeared in her eyes.

Seeing this, Xu Xu Zaijing glanced at Seeing Seeing Qingcao and continued, "Seeing Qingcao missed Sister Sister Xiaodie and wanted to come see her, so we took the opportunity to stop by on our way."

Wei Wei Yima Wei's face instantly lit up with understanding, while Nurse Liu, clutching her handkerchief, smiled broadly and said, "So that's how it is; Miss Seeing Qingcao is truly a grateful person."

Hearing Nurse Liu's praise, Seeing Seeing Qingcao felt somewhat embarrassed and performed a curtsy.

Wei Wei Shuyi, who had been keeping her head lowered, also raised her eyes to look at Seeing Seeing Qingcao, her gaze filled with deep gratification.

Seeing that Seeing Seeing Qingcao was looking at her, Wei Wei Shuyi smiled and gave a slight nod.

Xu Xu Zaijing also took the opportunity to sweep his gaze over Wei Wei Shuyi's attire; seeing her dressed in respectable clothes and adorned with proper jewelry, far different from her time in Yang Zhou when even her sleeve cuffs were worn ragged, he nodded inwardly in approval.

Having continued the Sheng family lineage and currently managing the household on behalf of Wang Ruo Fu, Wei Wei Shuyi's life was evidently quite comfortable.

"Then Fifth Young Master, please attend to your affairs; we shall take our leave now."

Xu Xu Zaijing nodded with a smile.

Subsequently, after watching Nurse Liu and the Wei sisters board the carriage, Xu Xu Zaijing turned and walked toward the Ni family courtyard.

Seeing Seeing Qingcao took the gifts to the inner courtyard,

while Xu Xu Zaijing remained in the front hall with the Ni brothers to discuss scholarly matters for a while.

By the time Xu Xu Zaijing returned to Quyuan Street, the sky had already turned dusky.

The first lamps were just being lit,

and ripples spread across the moat surrounding the Imperial City, reflecting the lanterns hanging on the palace walls.

Not far from the bank,

in the Chai family's inner courtyard,

Chai Chai Zhengzheng, arm-in-arm with Lady Chai who had just finished dinner, was taking a stroll in the yard.

Inhaling the floral scent drifting through the courtyard, Lady Chai said, "Chai Zhengzheng, in a few days, for your elder brother's wedding banquet, the bulk of the responsibilities will fall upon your shoulders."

"Ah? Mother, how old am I? How could I possibly manage such a massive affair!" Chai Chai Zhengzheng said somewhat reluctantly.

"You don't want to manage it?" Lady Chai asked, frowning as she looked at her daughter.

"Uh, well! I will merely assist Mother from the side."

"Very well!"

"So readily agreed?" Chai Chai Zhengzheng asked, looking at Lady Chai with confusion.

Lady Chai nodded and said, "Yes! Previously, when the young master of the Rong family married, that Miss Rong Feiyan managed the entire affair single-handedly! My own son, who served as the groomsman for the Rong young master, reportedly praised Miss Rong Feiyan, who managed everything, to no end!"

Hearing this, Chai Chai Zhengzheng asked puzzledly, "Praised to no end? Is there such a thing? Why have I never heard of it?"

"Indeed! Just because you, Zheng'er, haven't heard of it doesn't mean it didn't happen."

"Oh!"

Chai Chai Zhengzheng nodded several times.

After walking a little longer in the garden, Chai Chai Zhengzheng leaned closer to Lady Chai and said, "Mother, since you have spoken! I have thought it over, and I believe I should give it a try!"

Lady Chai stroked her daughter's cheek and smiled, saying, "Yes! That is the right attitude."

The next day,

in Nan Jiang Tang Lane,

at the Rong family residence,

In the main hall of the front courtyard,

Consort Rong's personal lady-in-waiting, with a stern expression, bowed deeply to Lady Fu Lady Fu Changhou and said, "Lady, this is the message Her Ladyship instructed this humble servant to convey."

"Good, good! I understand! At the gatherings over these next two days, I will certainly mention several times that my family's Yan'er is not yet choosing a husband!" Lady Fu Lady Fu Changhou nodded repeatedly.

"Mm! Please also speak a few words to Wu Da Da Niangzi! After all, those several farm estates and shops are part of the dowry Her Ladyship gave to Miss Rong Feiyan! In the future, when Her Ladyship has nephews and nieces, there will naturally be other rewards."

"Understood, understood! I will certainly speak with her!"

(End of Chapter)