Finest Servant

Chapter 296

Chapter 296 News from Qingxuan

Today, Xu Wei was in exceptionally high spirits. He spent time chatting with the Eldest Miss and Lin Wanrong, savoring fine wine. Later, he played the elegant guqin and sang amorous verses with the white-haired beauty, Su Qinglian, reviving his youthful vigor, akin to the top scholar he once was.

However, Xu Zhiqing was different from them. She retreated into the room early on to study the Arabic numerals she had just learned. She even dragged Lin Wanrong into her inquiry, asking increasingly complex and profound questions.

In addition to his astonishment, Lin Wanrong also felt a growing respect. With such a diligent and eager-to-learn woman leading the way, he believed this mathematical foundation should quickly spread across Great Hua.

Xu Zhiqing was an incredibly generous woman. When interacting with him, she was natural and exhibited no coquetry. Lin Wanrong, a little itching for banter, attempted to broach some off-topic subjects, but she always managed to politely steer the conversation away, showing interest in nothing but her studies.

The three Xu family members stayed until the evening before reluctantly leaving. As their sedan chairs dwindled into the distance, Lin Wanrong let out a long sigh, "Finally, the old man has left."

The Eldest Miss glanced at him with a faint smile, "Look at the way you talk. A distinguished individual like Mr. Xu is someone others can hardly invite, yet you behave as though you've just seen a plague."

Lin Wanrong laughed, "I don't mind Mr. Xu, it's his daughter who annoys me. She's not very enthusiastic when talking to me."

The Eldest Miss chuckled, "Look at the absurd things you're asking Miss Xu about: which came first, the chicken or the egg, how an egg is fertilized, how to make a pig grow faster. Goodness, what a mess—"

The Eldest Miss laughed, "Why should I ask you? I say, asking you is like falling into your trap, don't regard others as fools. Moreover, that's just how Miss Xu is. With her knowledge, it's really hard to find someone she would look at straight in the eye."

‘Damn it, I don't believe that after today, she'd still dare to give me the cold shoulder. She's taking Brother San too lightly!’

After chatting for a while, the Eldest Miss suddenly grabbed his arm, "Lin San, I want to ask you something, and you must answer honestly—when you were in Jinling, Mr. Xu asked for your assistance, was it to help him suppress the White Lotus Sect?"

Lin Wanrong was taken aback, he queried, "Why are you bringing up that again? I genuinely had work to do that day, I didn't slack off."

The Eldest Miss's eyes turned a bit red, and she punched him, "Annoying, I'm not joking, I want the truth."

The incident had already passed, and there was no need to hide it from her. Lin Wanrong nodded and laughed, "Yeah, that old Xu dragged me into a battle, almost lost my life. If it weren't for Xian'er's rescue, I'm afraid you wouldn't see me now. However, those bastards from the White Lotus Sect who once bullied us were thoroughly defeated—Hey, Eldest Miiss, why are you crying?"

Xiao Yuruo hastily wiped her tears, asking, "That day I was waiting for you outside the city, was that after you had been injured?"

Lin Wanrong nodded, "Yes, I had not fully recovered from my injury that day. But I had promised Miss Luo to be back for the poetry competition, so I had to rush back overnight."

"You were so badly hurt, yet you still thought of her?" The Eldest Miss spoke with a mixture of pain and anger, "Did you not care about your life for her?"

Seeing the tears welling up in the Eldest Miss's eyes, Lin Wanrong hurriedly responded, "What's going on? Why are we talking about that day all of a sudden? I'm all right now, stronger than ever. If you don't believe me, try holding me."

The Eldest Miss bit her lip hard, her eyes filled with tears as she looked at him, her voice soft, "Do you hate me? For how I treated you that day?" Suddenly, tears flew like rain, "I know, you must hate me. When you were so severely injured, I shut you out. But I really didn't know. During those days, I hoped to see you, so I waited for you outside the city every evening. When I finally saw you coming back, I was overjoyed. But then I saw you with two women. I... I was so upset that I lost all reason. It's your fault! You're the one who is fickle-hearted!"

Sweat, so that's why. Jealous women can be a bit irrational, but it's meaningless if they're not jealous. He laughed, "How can I blame you? You don't know how good Xian'er was to me when you shut me out. I had ginseng and bird's nest every day, and even someone to accompany me to sleep. I was as happy and free as an immortal."

The Eldest Miss's face flushed, and she snorted lightly, "Ginseng and bird's nest? We have plenty at home. How much do you want? If you're talking about someone to sleep with, shame on you! You're always looking for excuses to take advantage of me. Do you think I'm that kind of woman?"

Lin Wanrong understood Xiao Yuruo's character very well. She was a typical case of being tough on the outside but soft on the inside. He grinned and changed the subject, "Let's not talk about this anymore. When Miss Su and Miss Xu left today, it seemed like you gave them something. What was it, why were you hiding it from me and Old Xu?"

The Eldest Miss's face turned red, "Why are you asking this, I won't tell you."

Lin Wanrong laughed, "It's just a few pieces of underwear, why so secretive?"

The Eldest Miss was taken aback, "How did you know? Did you hide somewhere and spy on us? You..."

Her fists rained down on him. Lin Wanrong caught her hand, laughing, "That was easy to guess, seeing you all sneaky. Miss Xu has a nice figure, on par with yours. But I wonder what Miss Su will look like in this underwear, what a lucky man Old Xu is, he's in for a treat tonight."

Hearing his cheeky words, the Eldest Miss had blushed furiously, aiming small punches at him in rebuke. Lin Wanrong laughed gleefully as the two of them playfully tussled. Overwhelmed with joy, the Eldest Miss suddenly threw herself into his arms, crying softly, her emotions a complex whirlwind. She couldn't articulate if it was bitterness or sweetness she felt.

"Brother San, Brother San —" Their intimate moment was interrupted by a call from outside. Huan’er, panting heavily, ran into the inner courtyard. Seeing the two entwined, she let out a yelp of surprise before quickly turning her head away, murmuring, "I didn't see anything, I didn't see anything."

Lin Wanrong feigned a fierce expression on his face. "You really didn't see anything? You know, I excel at silencing witnesses. So, do you prefer to be ravished then murdered, murdered then ravished, or a combination of both?"

Huan’er's small face flushed crimson, but she burst into laughter. "Brother San would never! Brother San is a good person, I'm not scared—"

‘Damn, I'm really bad at playing the villain, huh?’ The Eldest Miss pinched him at his waist, reprimanding, "You're always talking nonsense. Huan’er, what happened?"

Huan’er, having eased her initial panic, said, "Miss, someone has sent a message for Brother San."

"A message for me?" Lin Wanrong expressed surprise. "I hardly know anyone here in the capital."

Xiao Yuruo huffed, "Who knows? You certainly have a lot of covert operations."

As she spoke, she was the first to take the letter from Huan’er's hand. The letter was thin and carried a faint, alluring scent, suggesting it was written by a lady. The Eldest Miss looked at him with a teasing smile. Lin Wanrong gave a dry laugh, but he was puzzled. He only knew a few people in the capital, who could this be from? Xian'er? Sister An?

Xiao Yuruo handed him the letter without opening it, saying, "Better look at it quickly, don't let it delay your important business."

As Lin Wanrong opened the envelope and skimmed its contents, his face changed dramatically, he exclaimed, "Qingxuan —"

Xiao Qingxuan was not just their shared lifesaver but also Lin Wanrong's lawfully wedded wife. The Eldest Miss hastily peered at the letter, seeing only a few lines of script: "For news of Qingxuan, the birch forest north of the city knows. Come quickly!"

Lin Wanrong was incredibly agitated, gripping Huan’er's hand tightly. "Huan’er, where is the person who delivered this letter?"

Huan’er's small hand was hurting from his grip, her face turned red, and she glanced at the Eldest Miss as if pleading for help. Xiao Yuruo quickly held his hand, saying, "Don't panic, let Huan’er speak slowly, let go of her hand quickly."

Looking anxious, Lin Wanrong released Huan’er's hand. "Where is the person who delivered the letter?"

Huan’er shook her head. "I don't know. After Mr. Xu left, I was helping in the shop. Suddenly, I felt dizzy. After a short while, I recovered, only to find this letter on the table. The letter was addressed to Brother San, so I rushed to deliver it."

Lin Wanrong's brows furrowed deeply. So, Huan’er hadn't even seen who had delivered the letter? Damn, who was so lacking in manners, delivering a letter without showing their face, didn't they know he was anxious?

The Eldest Miss understood his anxiety, comforting him, "Don't panic, first look at this letter. Is this Miss Xiao Qingxuan's handwriting?"

During their stay in Jinling, Lin Wanrong and Xiao Qingxuan had spent every night in mirthful conversations. He had long since grown familiar with her silent treasures. He shook his head, "This isn't Qingxuan's handwriting. However, these strokes are smooth and round. It's a woman's writing."

The Eldest Miss nodded, "From what the letter implies, if you wish to know about Miss Xiao, you must visit the birch forest in the north of the city. Huan'er, is there such a forest in the north?"

Huan'er nodded, "Yes, it's about several dozen miles from here. A vast birch forest."

Upon hearing this, Lin Wanrong quickly stuffed the letter into his clothing and started rushing out. The Eldest Miss quickly grabbed him, "Where are you going?"

"Where else? Of course, to the north of the city," Lin Wanrong responded impatiently.

The Eldest Miss sighed, "This letter is anonymous, with no salutation or signature. If someone was impersonating Qingxuan and wanted to harm you, what then? Why does all your intelligence disappear when Qingxuan's name comes up? Does Miss Xiao truly hold such great power over you?"

Lin Wanrong shook his head determinedly, "I have no choice. Qingxuan is my wife. Even if it means going through hell, I must."

"You..." The Eldest Miss saw his stubbornness, feeling both urgency and anger. She huffed, "I'm not saying you can't go, only that you should plan carefully. Ensure there are no mistakes."

Lin Wanrong gave a bitter smile, "I fear there's no time for that. The letter demands immediate action. If I'm late and miss the chance, I would regret it for life. Wait for me at home."

With that, he dashed out, disappearing quickly into the night.

"Go then, and don't you dare come back!" The Eldest Miss stomped her foot, crying out, "You heartless troublemaker!"

Huan'er saw the Eldest Miss arguing with Brother San and wisely remained still at a distance.

After a while of weeping, the Eldest Miss abruptly turned and went inside, tightening her cloak before heading for the door. Huan'er gasped, blocking her, "Miss, what are you doing?"

Xiao Yuruo sighed faintly, "That fool is so stubborn. I won't be at ease unless I go check on him."

"But miss, it's pitch black out there. The road to the north is not safe, and there have been bandits recently. How can you go?" Huan'er was anxious.

"I must go even if it's dangerous. If I die, tell that scoundrel that I will hate him forever." With that, the Eldest Miss stormed out.

Huan'er was left in a daze. What was happening with Brother San and the Eldest Miss? They could go from being sweet as honey to bickering like foes in no time. It was truly baffling.

—---

The birch forest in the north was roughly a dozen miles from the Xiao family's shop. The path was rough and treacherous, but Lin Wanrong was in such a rush that he managed to reach it in less than an hour.

This stretch of birch forest was vast, probably spanning dozens of acres. Each birch tree was robust, with thick roots and strong branches. The old leaves had fallen, and the new ones had yet to sprout, making the bare branches reach out into the air like fine claws. The cold wind of early spring brought with it a mournful whine, causing the branches to creak and rendering the forest even more desolate.

Upon reaching the edge of the forest, Lin Wanrong saw nothing but emptiness all around, without a single human figure in sight. Puzzled, he couldn't help but call out, "Qingxuan, Qingxuan, where are you—"

He called out several times, but the forest remained silent with no one answering. There was no sign of the person who had arranged to meet him there. The dense forest was ominously dark, but he didn't care. He patrolled the area, but found nothing.

"Whoever has summoned me, Lin Wanrong, please show yourself," he called out, his heart growing increasingly anxious. There was still no movement. Just as his patience was wearing thin and he was about to call out again, a soft feminine voice came from behind, "Are you Lin Wanrong?"

The voice was sweet and gentle, like music from the heavens, slowly drifting over from behind him. Lin Wanrong turned around to see an enchanting figure standing atop the trees. She was dressed in white, her long skirt lightly swaying, her hair hanging low, and a pristine white veil covering her face.

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