This chapter was translated by Sian for only and edited by Din2.
By Qian Lu
Chapter 33
The Qi"s Family
Murong Shu Qing got down from the carriage, she raised her head to promptly see the s.p.a.cious and simple entrance, the wooden vermilion plague was engraved with the two words, "Qi"s Manor", it was hanging in the middle of the top entrance. The perimeter of the wall was using red brick and green roofs, the entrance was actually casted in bronze color. There were a couple of male lions that were standing in front of the door, all of those manifested the grand ill.u.s.trious family background of the Qi"s family. But what was different than the ordinary influential officials, the Qi family"s front entrance was opened wide, there was no formidable, well-built or arrogant looks of the guards who protected the courtyard. There was only a young servant boy who was taking care of the flowers and trees on the side, as if since the entrance was open wide, you could walk into it at any time. At the same time, a faint dignified atmosphere penetrated out, and people would not dare to be rash to come in.
This was really the atmosphere of an influential family! Looking at this kind of lintel door, made Murong Shu Qing feel even more interested towards her maternal grandfather, Qi Zhong Lin. When he was barely 20 years old, he was able to help the former Emperor to get the t.i.tle of Emperor and the youngest Prime Minister in the history of Dong Yu. His disciples extended everywhere in the whole world, not only that he received love and respects from the citizens of Dong Yu, but he also had high reputations in all of the four countries. This kind of person who knew how to plan strategies, deal with unstable situations. But 20 years ago, at the prime of his year, he requested to withdraw from the Imperial court, and the former Emperor unexpectedly agreed. Since then, Qi Zhong Lin did not show any interests in any matters within the Imperial court any longer. Only him and the former Emperor would know the reason for him withdrawing from the Imperial court.
Murong Shu Qing mended the thin silk that was on her neck, Qi Zhong Lin was the reason why she had never visited the Qi"s family for the last three years. This kind of wise and farsighted person, he would think it was ridiculous to use a memory loss as an excuse to change her own self. But how should she explain it?!
Shaking her head and forcing a smile, forget it, what should come, would always come. Letting Lu Yi to go and inform her coming ahead of time, Murong Shu Qing was standing and waiting beside the shadow of the carriage, this autumn sun was still very glaring.
Lu Yi just wanted to go and explain to the servant boy at the gate, but she saw an old but vigorous silhouette that was not too far away, so she advanced for one step, and called out: "Head housekeeper Yu!"
Yu Shan heard the yelling, he turned his head around to see a pretty woman with a green dress who was waving at him at the gate. Hesitatingly, he walked to the front of the woman and examined her carefully. She was somewhat familiar-looking, but he could not remember her for a period of time, and did not have any alternative but to ask: "Who are you?"
Lu Yi was smiling and giving him a polite salutation, and explained her ident.i.ty: "I am the Murong family"s servant girl, Lu Yi."
Murong"s family? Yu Shan suddenly realized and slapped his thigh, and promptly asked: "Oh, I remember it, Miss Shu Qing comes." Miss Shu Qing had not come for three years, even though she was rude and unreasonable sometimes, but she was after all the Qi family"s miss. This kind of respectable ident.i.ty, it would be very normal if she had an arrogant personality.
Facing the old housekeeper"s antic.i.p.ated gaze, Lu Yi smilingly nodded and replied: "Yes, Miss is just outside the door."
"Go, quickly, please come in." Hearing that Murong Shu Qing was outside the door, Yu Shan hurriedly walked over towards the outside door, while he instructed the servant boy who was behind him: "Yi Yong, quickly go and inform Master and Madam, Miss Shu Qing has come." If this little brat (referring to the old MSQ) got angry, it would be desperately serious.
"Yes." The young servant boy saw that the housekeeper was very happy, and excited, he knew that it must be a n.o.ble guest, thus, he hurriedly ran inside the manor like a wisp of smoke.
Yu Shan urgently and hurriedly arrived at the outside door, he looked all around the surrounding, but did not see that red, pampered and reckless" silhouette (old MSQ liked to wear red). He did not see her treasure crimson carriage either, and when he was just about to ask Lu Yi where Miss Shu Qing was, a white dress woman turned around from the direction of the tall, s.p.a.cious and simple carriage with the dark horses. She slowly arrived in front of him, and nodded at him with a light smile.
"Mis ~~ Miss?!" Yu Shan hesitatingly called out, this luxurious and beautiful woman, she was wavering gently like a simple and elegant woman, where was that Miss Shu Qing who was pampered, reckless and lively ah? Could it be that a young woman was very different from a little girl, she once was?
"Head housekeeper Yu." Looking at the old head housekeeper"s expressions, Murong Shu Qing just knew what his heart was thinking. Maybe she should still carry a lash on her waist, so everyone would not be surprised like that! Imagining her own self who was holding a lash on her hand, with a high and mighty appearance, she could not help but to laugh out loud.
Looking at Murong Shu Qing who was suddenly and gently laughing in front of him, Yu Shan did not know what he should say either, he could only cordially greet Murong Shu Qing to enter the door: "Please come in quickly, the Old Madam was still talking about you yesterday, she said that she wanted to send Young Master Rui to pick you up, who could have thought that you came today."
The old housekeeper was chattering away all the way in front of her, while Murong Shu Qing was strolling behind him, and she was conveniently enjoying the scenery at the Qi"s manor.
The inside of the Qi"s manor was actually more plain and simple when one compared it with the outside gate, the entire wooden winding corridor appeared to have some years, slightly mottled, but it did not look cheap either, on the contrary, it revealed a simple and unadorned ancient charms. The layout of the inside of the manor was elaborate, but it was somewhat conforming with the norms of society. Maybe because the women were always lacking within the Qi"s family, there was only Qi Yue in the previous generation, besides her, it seemed that Qi Yue"s elder brother, Qi Yun who had one daughter whose name was Qi Yu in this generation. So the masculine taste within the manor was very strong, it lacked some gentle and beauty. All of the plants were only forest trees, one could not see any flowers and plants.
Murong Shu Qing was still enjoying it, when she heard the old head housekeeper said: "Master, Madam, Miss Shu Qing came back."
Looking up, she only saw two elderly who walked towards her with quick steps. Even though Qi Zhong Lin was already 70 years old, but he still had refreshing spirit. Beside him, she should be Murong Shu Qing"s maternal grandmother, He Xiang Jun. she had white hair, kind appearance, and looked like she was at the end of her beauty and gracefulness now. But when she was young, she was surely also a beauty. It seemed that Murong Shu Qing still received quite some favors from the Qi"s family, the two elderly unexpectedly still came out to welcome her!
Looking at them walking in a hurry, Murong Shu Qing also sped up her footsteps, and walked over towards them.
The sunset shined from Murong Shu Qing"s back, as if it gave her a layer of golden ray, with her simple white dress, it also caught a trace of golden yellow color. The thin silk that was on her neck, was lightly floating along with the breeze, it could touch her hair and moving with the breeze from time to time. The she who was walking in the center of the ring of light, did not know how she looked, she could only feel as if she had a graceful and warm smiling expression, a light and faint smile, but she really made people to feel like bathing in the spring wind.
This kind of scene, made the two elderly couple who wanted to welcome her, to halt their footsteps, He Xiang Jun seemed to want to welcome her, but seemed not to dare to step forward, she was afraid that she would break this scene. With trembling voice, she excitingly mumbled in a low voice: "Yue-er ~~" The tears were acc.u.mulating in her eyes, was it her Yue-er? Was it her? Yue-er?
Murong Shu Qing was somewhat at a loss, but thinking about it for a while, it was Qi Yue! This elderly woman probably saw her, and thought of her own daughter. But the rumor stated that Qi Yue was absolutely the most splendid person at the Capital during that time, virtuous and skilled, she should not look like her? Thinking deeply in her brain, but the smile on her face did not show any change.
Qi Ziong Lin embraced He Xiang Jun"s shoulder, as he tried to appease her mood with a low voice, and said in a whisper: "Xiang Jun, this is Shu Qing, she is not Yue-er." She was really not Yue-er, even though Yue-er was also elegant and refined liked her, but Yue-er was faintly proud and aloof, and she disdained to do worldly things. And Shu Qing who was in front of him, she was actually relaxed and calm, her every movement was faintly confident and free. But was this kind of Shu Qing their own Shu Qing? Qi Zhong Lin"s eyes were already wrinkled, but they were still sharp and had been observing Murong Shu Qing all along. It seemed that he wanted to look inside her heart. But Murong Shu Qing was constantly smiling lightly all along, with her calm eyes, and she did not let him to see anything.
He Xiang Jun wiped the tears that were on the corner of her eyes, she looked at Murong Shu Qing who was already in front of her, smilingly shook her head and said: "I, I am old and confused."
Sensing Qi Zhong Lin"s gaze that was looking at her closely, Murong Shu Qing did not avoid his gaze at all, since she came in, she had already antic.i.p.ated this. Slowly arriving in front of the two elderly, Murong Shu Qing stooped down to give her greetings, and respectfully said: "Maternal grandfather, Maternal grandmother."
He Xiang Jun was not used to have this kind of etiquette from her, so she pulled her up, lovingly asked: "You are tired, right? Rest inside the room for a moment."
Watching that they were already entered the room, Yu Shan called out the servants who were on the side to move their things: "Several of you guys, quickly help Miss Shu Qing"s stuffs and move them to Liu (flow) Fang (fragrance) Yuan (courtyard). Make Fei-er, and Xin-er to go and tidy up."
Murong Shu Qing who almost entered the inner room, turned around, and looked at the old head housekeeper who was getting busy outside, she smilingly said: "Yu Head housekeeper, you do not need to be busy taking care of this, I only take one suitcase, it does not need to have 5-6 servants to bring it! It seemed that Lu Yi was right, the previous Murong Shu Qing was like moving out when she was on a journey.
"This ~~" The old head housekeeper was embarra.s.sedly looking at Murong Shu Qing, and he just saw the one suitcase that was on the ground, it looked like he should look for a tailor to make some clothing for Miss Shu Qing.
When the previous Murong Shu Qing came to the Qi"s family, she would bring at the minimum of 20-30 bodyguards and servant girls, her luggages for the jewelry and head ornaments would fit into several carriages. She was only followed by two bodyguards and one servant girl now, could it be that the Murong"s family bullied Qing-er? He Xiang Jun was looking at Murong Shu Qing who was beside her, she was really thin, so she pulled Shu Qing"s hand, and furiously asked: "Qing-er, how come Murong Xiang only let you come with 2-3 people? If the Murong’s family did not have anyone, the Qi"s family could go and pick you up, a young lady was on a journey like this, it was very dangerous ah!"
Facing the elderly woman"s concern and doting, Murong Shu Qing was somewhat at a loss, she had no alternative but to use her previous paternal grandfather"s trick, and took He Xiang Jun"s arm, slightly acted like a spoiled child and said: "It is nothing, Maternal grandmother, I am here safe and sound now!"
Looking that they were deadlocked at the gate, Qi Zhong Lin said to Yu Shan: "Alright, Qing-er is also tired. Yu Shan, take the suitcase to Die (layer) Cui (green jade) Xiao (small) Su (lodge)." Then he turned around to pat He Xiang Jun"s hand, and said: "Xiang Jun, Qing-er is also tired from the journey, let her rest first, then we can have a meal and chat again slowly in the evening." He should also think properly, what was going on with Shu Qing"s changes, was this the reason why she had not come for the past three years? What happened with her body?
He Xiang Jun looked at Murong Shu Qing and really saw her exhausting face, she nodded her head and said: "Alright, Qing-er, you properly rest first. Go now!"
"En." Being shaken on the carriage for eight days, she was really a little tired, and Murong Shu Qing gave courtesy to the two elderly again, and left with Yu Shan.
Yu Shan who was walking up front, was somewhat puzzled, Die Cui Xiao Su was a former residence for Miss Yue, usually, n.o.body was allowed to enter randomly. The previous Miss Shu Qing disliked that cold place, and was not willing to stay there. Master unexpectedly arranged for Miss Shu Qing to stay there today, was it because Miss Shu Qing was different now?
Sian"s notes
Hehehe… MSQ was already busted the second she met with the smart and former Prime Minister of Dong Yu aka her maternal grandfather. He already knew that she was not the previous MSQ. No wonder she had avoided going to the Qi"s family for 3 years. This is getting interesting…