Chapter 115: The Villa (Part One)

After leaving the palace, Yun Yichen rode aimlessly through the streets. He needed time to sort out his chaotic thoughts and calm himself before returning to the royal residence. Otherwise, his mother would sense something was wrong and feel distressed.

His emotions surged as he recalled what his uncle had said. According to the news from the palace, his father’s campaign to suppress the bandits in the northwest was not going smoothly. It seemed it would take a long time before his father could return. Silently, Yun Yichen prayed for his father’s safety.

Only when his mind had completely settled did Yun Yichen finally urge his horse back to the royal residence.

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The following morning, after an early breakfast, Madam Qin prepared to set off with her two granddaughters under the escort of General Xiao Jingtai. To avoid overlapping their departure with his other disciples, General Xiao couldn’t even afford to be tender with his youngest granddaughter, who was still fast asleep.

“If you like it there, stay for a few more days. If you wish to go anywhere else, just let us know. Even if Father doesn’t have time to accompany you, Second Sister-in-law will be there to look after you,” Tong Mingyu said as she handed her still-drowsy daughter to Chun Ye. Meanwhile, Xioa Yuan, who was sleeping soundly like a little piglet, was passed to Chun Ya and placed in the carriage.

“As long as you send a message, I will join you. Even if you decide to go to Northern Jin, I’ll accompany you,” Li Jiaoying said. This time, since General Xiao was going along, she had to stay behind. She dearly wished she could join her father-in-law and mother-in-law in traveling with her two beautifully dressed nieces, eating, and sightseeing together. However, given the special circumstances, she could only watch as her in-laws took the blossoming young girls on their outing.

“You’ve all worked hard,” Madam Qin said. She knew her situation had made the entire family tread carefully around her, avoiding any mention of her youngest son for fear of upsetting her.

“We’re doing well! Don’t think too much about it. Second Sister-in-law and I should be thanking you for taking these two mischievous little girls with you. It’ll finally be quiet at home,” Tong Mingyu said with a laugh.

“Ahem, ahem.” General Xiao cleared his throat. Though he didn’t want to reprimand his daughter-in-law, he couldn’t tolerate her disparaging his beloved granddaughters.

“Let’s go. If we don’t, we might end up getting side-eyed by others,” Madam Qin teased. Perhaps it was her husband’s presence, or maybe she didn’t want her son and daughter-in-law to worry. Today, there was a rare smile on Madam Qin’s face.

The caravan moved forward slowly. General Xiao calculated the timing and felt confident they could avoid the other groups. He instructed the drivers to maintain a steady pace to ensure a smooth ride, especially since his precious granddaughters were still sleeping soundly.

Such a demanding requirement was impossible for ordinary drivers to meet. Fortunately, the carriage drivers were all long-time subordinates of General Xiao. These men were keenly aware that, in the Xiao family, anyone could be offended—except the two young mistresses.

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Their destination was a villa surrounded by vast flower fields and medicinal gardens. Not far from the villa lay a lake fringed with lush trees and intersected by several small, meandering paths. Nearby, other officials’ villas were scattered harmoniously across the landscape. In the distance stood a royal retreat built under the supervision of Xiao Jingkang. The magnificent complex, with its red-tiled roofs and green-glazed tiles, was said to have greatly pleased the emperor.

After about an hour, the carriages came to a gentle stop.

“Should we wake them?” Madam Qin hesitated to decide about her granddaughters while General Xiao was present.

“Yes. I heard that once we enter the gates, we’ll see the flower fields. Ping’an and Ruyi will be thrilled. Tell the maids to wake them gently so they don’t scare the children,” General Xiao instructed carefully.

“Yes,” Chun Ye and Chun Ya said, exchanging smiles. Even without the general’s instructions, they wouldn’t dare disturb the young mistresses. After all, even the mistress herself had to seek permission before acting.

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Shaoyao woke up immediately, her energy fully restored. She was eager to improve her painting skills and was equally curious about the villa’s flower fields and medicinal gardens.

“Did I change rooms again? No, wait—why is the room moving?” Xiao yuan mumbled groggily, scratching her head in confusion.

“We’ve arrived at the villa. Let’s get off,” Xiao yao said, rubbing her younger sister’s cheeks to wake her up.

“Already? When did we leave? Why didn’t I feel a thing?” Xiao yuan asked in a daze, surrounded by countless questions.

“Instead of overthinking, why not go and enjoy the view?” Xiao yao lifted the curtain, narrowed her eyes in delight, and called out, “Grandfather!”

“Little Ping’an is awake. Did you sleep well? We’ve reached the villa. Soon, you’ll see the flower fields. Are you excited?”

“Yes! Let’s go now!” Unable to contain herself, Xiao yuan dashed out of the carriage at lightning speed, nearly knocking Xiao yao off balance.

“Slow down!” General Xiao used his martial skills to catch Xiao yao with one hand while scooping up Xiao yuan with the other. Thankfully, he was a military man—if it had been old Tong instead, both girls would have ended up on the ground.

.“How can you be so reckless? Do you want to scare your grandmother to death?” Madam Qin lifted the carriage curtain just in time to witness the scene, visibly startled. If her husband hadn’t been there, she might have scolded her youngest granddaughter right away. But now? Seeing her husband nearby, she restrained herself. Although she was worried, she chose to stay silent, noticing his lack of anger.

“Don’t ever do that again, understood?” General Xiao, in what he considered a serious tone, “reprimanded” his youngest granddaughter.

So this is how you discipline someone? The soldiers who had followed General Xiao for years found themselves increasingly baffled by their leader’s behavior. Was this supposed to be scolding? To them, it sounded more like a gentle reminder. And that serious expression on his face? That was the look he usually reserved for being most amicable with his subordinates!

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The steward of the mountain villa was a refined-looking man in his early thirties. Xiao Yao found it hard to associate him with fields and forests. His appearance and demeanor resembled that of a scholar, as if pursuits like playing chess or strumming a zither were more suited to him.

“Your humble servant Zhao Mian greets all of you,” the man said, stepping forward a few paces. It was then that Xiao Yao noticed he had a limp. Perhaps that was why he had stayed behind at the manor.

“Are you comfortable here? It’s been a year since we last saw you. How are things now?” General Xiao asked patiently.

“Thank you for your concern, General. Life is quite pleasant for me now. I spend my days tending to the flowers and taking care of the herb garden. It’s very relaxing and enjoyable,” Zhao Mian replied respectfully.

“As long as you are happy, that’s good. By the way, have you taken a wife yet? If not, why not choose one from the ladies who came with us today? While I’m here, we can arrange the wedding immediately. What do you think?”

Xiao Yao turned her head to look at the young maids present. Some lowered their heads silently, others stole quick glances, and a few quietly retreated. They probably didn’t want to marry a man with a limp. Xiao Yao, however, believed Zhao Mian must be a man with a story and talent. A simple person likely wouldn’t catch the General’s attention.

“Thank you for your concern, General, but I already have a fiancée. She has found her way here, and we are planning to get married at a suitable time,” Zhao Mian replied with a face full of happiness. When he mentioned his fiancée, his eyes sparkled with joy.

“I think now is a suitable time. Let’s settle it—how about within the next half month?” General Xiao suggested. He planned to stay at the manor for half a month and believed this was the best time. If it weren’t for the lack of preparation, he would have insisted on holding the wedding immediately.

“Let’s see the bride!” Xiao Yuan cheered, jumping in excitement.

Xiao Yao herself had never attended a wedding in ancient times. When she was younger, she was often unwell, so her mother never allowed her to attend lively gatherings like weddings. In their family, because Fourth Uncle remained unmarried, it not only delayed his own life but also obstructed her eldest and second brothers from taking wives. As a result, Xiao Yao had never witnessed a traditional wedding ceremony or the festivities of a bridal chamber.

Seeing his granddaughter’s enthusiasm, General Xiao was even more determined to make it happen. Some might accuse him of abusing his power or being too authoritarian, but he didn’t care. The General had already given the order: Zhao Mian must marry within the next half month while they stayed at the manor.

“Your servant will follow the General’s arrangements.”

“Let’s go see the bride then!” Xiao Yuan exclaimed. To her, no beautiful garden or intriguing herb field could compare to the allure of seeing a bride.

“But she hasn’t married yet; we can’t call her a bride,” Xiao Yao explained.

“Then let’s marry her off!” Xiao Yuan said impatiently. How could anyone make the Second Miss Xiao wait? The bride should hurry up and get married.

Indeed, Xiao Yuan was truly the General’s granddaughter—just as assertive and impulsive as he was.

“It takes a lot of preparation to marry a bride. You need to make new clothes, decorate the bridal chamber, prepare food, and gather supplies. It’s impossible to arrange everything properly in just a few days,” Xiao Yao explained.

Zhao Mian looked at the young lady in front of him with surprise. Not only was she beautiful, but she also seemed knowledgeable and intelligent—truly an exceptional girl.

“There’ll be delicious food too!” Xiao Yuan exclaimed, her eagerness growing.

“We’ll wait a few days. In the meantime, we can explore the scenery and have some fun. This time, when they hold the wedding ceremony, Grandfather will let you watch the entire process from beginning to end. How about that?” General Xiao promised his granddaughter. Allowing a young lady from a noble family to attend a wedding ceremony was unconventional, but the General didn’t care. Qin Shi, Xiao Yao’s grandmother, considered reminding him of traditional propriety but chose to remain silent. After all, this was their own manor, and it was just a servant’s wedding.

The main reason Qin Shi didn’t speak up was that she knew her husband wouldn’t listen to her advice anyway.

“Sister, let’s go see the flowers now,” Xiao Yuan suggested. If they couldn’t see the bride yet, flowers would have to do.

“Let’s check our rooms first, freshen up, and change our clothes. Then we can go to the garden. How about that?” Xiao Yao suggested, taking on the role of a responsible elder sister. She was also concerned about their grandparents, hoping they could rest after the journey. Since they were already at the manor, they could enjoy the flowers anytime.

“Father, Mother, the luggage has been unloaded, and the staff has been arranged. Please relax and enjoy your stay here. I will take my leave now. If there’s anything you need, just have Zhao Mian send word,” Xiao Jingtai said as he came to bid farewell.

“Go ahead. Be careful on the road,” Qin Shi reminded him.

“I understand. I’ll just check on Ping’an and Ruyi before leaving.”

“Leave now,” Qin Shi insisted, seeing through her son’s intentions. She knew he wanted to coax Ping’an into letting him kiss her. Hmph, no way.

Defeated, Xiao Jingtai could only leave reluctantly.