Chapter 670: 280 is on fire
Niu Yanghui bid his farewell with all seriousness, "I must take my leave." Having said that, he turned around and left with the Attendant Student, very neatly and efficiently.
Mingzhu asked worriedly, "Can we really rely on this person?"
Xiang Wei smiled and replied, "What’s there to rely on or not? We haven’t done anything after all." Only a fool would bother with this trifling matter.
As for Ning Lixuan, Xiang Wei was certain, Duke Ning could only swallow this loss silently. If it were to spread, Ning Lixuan’s reputation would surely be ruined, and Duke Ning couldn’t afford to gamble on that—they were still hoping to find a dependable marriage alliance to support them. Xiang Wei scoffed, "Offended by them and yet hoping to find a reliable marriage alliance, they are truly living in a dream."
Mingzhu grasped Yueyao’s hand, trying to please her, "Yueyao, have you finished your painting?"
Yueyao, knowing Mingzhu was afraid she would speak out, replied with a smile, "Let’s not worry about it this time. But it cannot happen again. If someone sees you, the reputation of being rough and wild won’t escape you."
Mingzhu grinned, "No, it won’t. I’m just glad you’re not angry." She still worried that Yueyao might get angry and scold her!
Bai Yi, watching Mingzhu, said nothing more and took Mingzhu to grill some fish. Yueyao said to Xiang Wei, "This was a bit too much; let’s not allow a next time." If something were to really happen to Ning Lixuan, that would be troublesome.
Xiang Wei laughed, "Don’t worry, I know my limits." If no one from the Ning family came to the rescue, she would still have rescued Ning Lixuan herself. It was only meant as a harsh lesson, not to claim his life. She still had a sense of measure in that regard.
Mingzhu, holding a fish, shouted loudly to Yueyao, "Yueyao, come over! Come grill some fish!" Mingzhu’s voice carried out far and wide.
Having left the shore, Niu Yanghui couldn’t help but turn back when he heard such joyfully tinkling calls. Viewing her lively and delicately fair face, something stirred in his heart.
Niu Yanghui’s young servant called softly, "Young Master, Young Master."
Snapping back to his senses, Niu Yanghui resumed his former composure and said softly, "Let’s go!" He walked away, but that laughter seemed to linger in his ears for a long time.
Before they knew it, the sun had set. The setting sun cast a golden brilliance upon the land, blanketing the plain in a gossamer veil of gold, shrouding the earth in mystery.
Yueyao did not leave and started painting again.
Speechless, Xiang Wei said to Bai Yi, "You go on ahead with Mingzhu. Xi Yu and I staying here is enough."
In the early summer, especially out in the fields, one could only imagine the number of mosquitoes. By the time Yueyao finished painting, everyone waiting for her was completely covered in bites.
Yueyao smiled, "Give everyone an extra month’s salary this month." Those who suffered deserved compensation.
Most of the people waiting were Yueyao’s own, so upon hearing this, they all joyfully thanked her, "Thank you, Miss." Enduring a feast for the mosquitoes was well compensated with an extra month’s allowance.
As night fell, the rice paddies in the large field resembled a sea, and the distant villages appeared like boats on a green sea. The fields were eerily quiet, and from far and near, the small lights in the cottages shyly twinkled.
Yueyao opted not to take the carriage but walked all the way back to the courtyard. Only upon looking in the mirror did she realize that her forehead had several bites, and so did her hands.
Mingzhu brought over some ointment and applied it, "You really don’t know how to take care of yourself," as she nagged. Being sunburnt like a piece of charcoal in the summer was one thing, but allowing bugs to bite without caring about scarring was another.
Having been at the manor for over a month, Yueyao led a very leisurely life. Every ten days, Zhuang Ruolan would send a letter informing Yueyao of the happenings in Capital City.
Ning Lixuan didn’t dare return to Capital City immediately; his pathetic state would instantly become the talk of Capital City, and he couldn’t afford to lose face. Thus, Ning Lixuan took refuge in Niu Yanghui’s manor and sent his men back to the Duke Mansion to report in.
The Duke immediately sent people to bring him back. Duke Ning looked at his son’s pitiful state with a grave expression, while Lady Zhao was beside herself with grief. Fortunately, after two days things had lessened in severity, otherwise Lady Zhao might have fainted instead of just crying.
Lady Zhao wanted to confront Marquis Jingning’s Residence, but Duke Ning stopped her, "And what justice do you plan to seek from Marquis Jingning? What will you say when the Luo Family asks why he was in Ma Family’s manor in the first place?" They had no ground to stand on to demand justice confidently. If they were unable to get justice, they would just end up being mocked.