Do you know: I am Xu Jiazi

Chapter 842 Sister Green Grass, You Can't Leave Anymore [Thank you! Bow again! 6k words owed]

Midnight,

There wasn't a single star in the night sky.
In Bianjing, a city with a population of one million, 99% of the area was shrouded in darkness, with only a few lanterns lit near the brothels.

The faint sound of the clock striking the hour made the city of Bianjing seem even quieter.

Imperial City

Donghuamenwai Street

On the towering watchtowers along the street,
"Om-"

"Snapped!"

The soldier, who was looking around to prevent a fire, slapped his cheek.

It was dark all around, and Pu Bing didn't know if he had swatted any mosquitoes, but it seemed like there were no mosquitoes buzzing around.

Looking at the dark night sky, Pu Bing sniffed the surroundings and muttered to himself, "Smells like it's going to rain!"

Rain is a good thing; it helps prevent fires, allowing the soldiers on duty in the watchtowers to slack off and relax.

He hadn't been talking to himself for long when...
"Woo!"

A cool night breeze swept past the vicinity of the watchtower.

The refreshing night breeze allowed the soldiers on the watchtower to breathe a sigh of relief.

suddenly!

The inky night sky flashed for a moment,
Not only did the area around the watchtower suddenly become as bright as day,
It also illuminated the thick, dark clouds in the sky very clearly.
After a few breaths,
"Boom—Boom—Rumble—"

As the thunder rumbled, Pu Bing felt as if the air around him was vibrating.

The thunder had not yet subsided.

Another bolt of lightning struck the sky.
"Boom—boom—"

The thunder gradually faded into the distance.

"Snapped!"

"Clap!"

Raindrops fell on the top of the watchtower, starting with one or two drops, but becoming more frequent after a dozen or so breaths.

Just as the soldiers were about to sit down and rest,

"drive!"

Not far from the watchtower, the faint sound of horses being driven could be heard.

The soldiers hurriedly climbed to a high vantage point to look around.

From the direction of the palace to the south, a figure on horseback carrying a torch appeared.

As they got closer, the soldiers could see clearly that they were palace guards dressed in exquisite cavalry armor.

A dozen or so horses galloped northward down the street below the watchtower.

Another flash appeared in the sky, followed by a clap of thunder moments later.

The watchtower was located at a high position, and the soldiers could see the cavalry under the rain curtain. After heading north and then east, they stopped somewhere that was blocked by the tall Fanlou tower.

The Prince of Wei's Mansion
Minglan Courtyard was completely dark.
The flashing lightning occasionally illuminated the yard and the torrential rain that enveloped it.

"Crash-"

The rainwater rushed down the eaves, making quite a commotion.

Minglan, who was lying next to Xu Zaijing, was awakened by the sound of rain. After listening for a moment, she closed her eyes and turned over to the side of the bed.

As a result, when she turned over, she found herself in Xu Zaijing's arms.

Minglan felt a pleasant sensation when she touched Xu Zaijing's skin, which had been cooled by the late night and the cool mat.

Another bolt of lightning flashed, illuminating the room for a moment before plunging it back into darkness.

Amidst the rumbling thunder, Minglan, who hadn't yet fallen asleep, suddenly felt goosebumps rise on Xu Zaijing's skin beneath her palm.

Minglan didn't need to ask; she just knew from her intuition that Xu Zaijing had woken up.

The sound of rain still pattering outside.

"Officer."

"Hmm. Someone's coming," Xu Zaijing said in a deep voice.

"Hmm?" Minglan was puzzled when Xu Zaijing, who was beside him, sat up.

After a while,
Bright yellow lantern light appeared outside the window.

at the same time,

"Da da da--"

And then there was the sound of raindrops hitting the umbrella heavily.

As Danju carried the candle, preparing to enter the bedroom to announce the arrival, she saw Xu Zaijing already standing there as soon as she went around the screen.

Ignoring her own fright, Danju said urgently, "My lord, someone from the palace has come. They say the Crown Princess is about to give birth, and His Majesty summons you to the palace."

Xu Zaijing, who was inside the room, was taken aback for a moment, then said, "Light the lamp and get dressed."

"Yes."

Minglan, who was wearing slippers, also heard the conversation and quickly stepped in to help.

quickly,

Xu Zaijing then stepped out of the house.

Minglan also brought Danju to the doorway.

"Crash!"

The rain is still heavy.

As Xu Zaijing, carrying an umbrella and a lantern, disappeared into the rain, Minglan clasped her hands together and offered a prayer.

Danju felt the raindrops drifting in with the wind: "Girl, let's go back inside."

"Okay, Danju, send someone to tell the other girls in the courtyard."

"Yes."

Subsequently,

In the pouring rain, candlelight was lit in several courtyards of the Prince's Mansion.

Chai Zhengzheng's courtyard
Yunmu, standing under the porch, nodded after hearing the maid's announcement.

In the sound of rain,
Yunmu glanced at the unlit bedroom and said in a low voice, "Okay, I understand. I will tell the Princess when she wakes up."

"Yes."

After standing under the corridor for a while, Yunmu turned and went into the house, where the maid carefully closed the door.

Another courtyard,
inside the house,

"Girl, wake up."

At the maid's soft call, Rong Feiyan frowned and opened her eyes: "What's wrong?"

"Miss, Consort Sheng just sent someone to say that the Crown Princess is about to give birth and the Lord has been summoned to the palace."

"what?"

Upon hearing this, Rong Feiyan immediately sobered up, sat up, looked at the lightning flashing outside the window, and whispered, "I hope everything goes well for the Crown Princess."

He nodded slowly.

The room was quiet for a moment, then Rong Feiyan sighed: "Look, Qingcao is really going to leave the manor! My husband can actually bring himself to do this."

As she spoke, Rong Feiyan shook her head.

She whispered, "Miss, Qingcao is a first-class maidservant by the master's side. How she is arranged in the future depends entirely on the master and the queen. We have no say in it."

Rong Feiyan frowned, her eyes filled with contemplation. Her lips moved, but she ultimately said nothing, nodding and sighing, "You're right."

At this time,

Lightning flashed continuously outside.

Amidst the rumbling thunder, he said with concern, "Miss, it's getting hotter and hotter. You already suffer from the summer heat, so why don't you take another nap?"

"Mmm," Rong Feiyan said, lying back down on the couch.

She left quietly.

"Ugh."

A soft sigh came from behind the sheer curtains.

In the maid's quarters.

Since moving to the Prince's Mansion, Qingcao has had her own room.

"Boom——"

Amidst the thunder, a flash of lightning illuminated the simple, clean, and tidy furnishings inside the house, as well as the curtains fluttering wildly in the night wind by the window.

After the lightning, the house was plunged into darkness again.

When the lightning flashed again, a figure appeared at the table by the window inside the room, closing the window.

The lightning flashed brightly, illuminating the furrowed brow of the green grass.

Whether it was the rain drifting in from outside or sweat, the grass's forehead was covered with tiny water droplets.

After closing the window, Qingcao frowned, clutched her stomach, and slowly walked towards the bed.

After walking to the bedside and sitting down, Qingcao breathed a sigh of relief.

"hiss--"

"what--"

The sounds of Qingcao enduring pain could be heard intermittently.

Listening to the sound of rain outside, Qingcao, who couldn't sleep because of lower abdominal pain, endured the pain and turned over.

Feeling the cold sweat beading on her forehead, Qingcao closed her eyes and raised her sleeve to wipe it away.

Outside, the sound of rain continued.

Green Grass, whose stomach aches began after dark, had no idea how long she had endured them; by then, she was already quite exhausted.

The abdominal pain subsided a little, and just as Qingcao, who hadn't been able to fall asleep, was awakened again by the pain.

"Buzz-"

Exhausted, Qingcao listened to the sharp buzzing of mosquitoes in her ears. Half asleep and half awake, she could only wave her hand in vain and powerlessness.

In that instant, Qingcao felt as if she had returned to a few years ago.

That was her first time menstruating, and she was in excruciating pain.

As Qingcao felt the abdominal pain and heard the buzzing of mosquitoes in her ears, for some reason, she clearly remembered that time when she also had mosquitoes buzzing in her ears.

Not only were there mosquitoes buzzing, but there was also someone slapping a mosquito to death with both hands and softly saying, "Go to sleep."

"Buzz—" The mosquito continued its arrogant buzzing.

As soon as Qingcao waved her hands twice, she felt a sharp, needle-like pain in her stomach.

Subsequently,

The mosquitoes stopped buzzing, and just as the grass was about to rest, I felt a stinging itch on my neck.

Qingcao scratched her stomach a couple of times, and then her stomach started hurting again.

The pain caused Qingcao to break out in a cold sweat again, and as the sweat evaporated, she felt a chill.

After all this trouble...
Without realizing it, Qingcao found herself walking on the passageway leading to the racetrack from the Duke's Mansion on Quyuan Street.

It seemed to be winter, which made her feel a little cold.

It was completely dark around us.
Feeling the chill in her arms, Qingcao looked down at her sleeves, which were now covered with cotton padding. She didn't dare to look up, because she knew the person next to her was looking at her with a mixture of concern and reproach.

suddenly,

Autumn has arrived again, and the green grass vaguely indicates that it is morning and it is raining.

"Young master, let me go get the umbrella."

"It's just a little rain, why bother with an umbrella? Let's go."

Amidst the warm voice, Qingcao felt a warmth on the back of her neck. She knew that her young master had helped her put on her cloak and hood.

In a daze,

Various bizarre and fantastical scenes and feelings flashed through the heart of the grass like rotating lanterns.

Some of them were young grass, and they were nervous when they first rode in a carriage with their young master.

Some of it was the admiration and joy that Wei Xiaoniang, the mother who shared a room with him, showed when he was learning his craft at the Sheng family home;
Some of them were at home on Quyuan Street, worrying about their young master's expedition to Baigao;

Some are enjoying the pleasure of eating delicacies such as Bo Xia Gong and Hand-washed Crab.

Wait a minute.

suddenly,

"Since His Majesty has asked you to take inventory, those things are yours. When you get married, they will be your dowry."

"You are my first maid, I can't treat you badly, you're not allowed to refuse."

Xu Zaijing's voice rang out again. Upon hearing this, Qingcao felt as if she had been struck by lightning.

Immediately, the stunningly beautiful faces of Chai Zhengzheng, Rong Feiyan, and Minglan flashed through Qingcao's mind.
A wave of inferiority, grievance, distress, and shame washed over her.

Light and shadow change.

"Green Grass, what's wrong with you today?"

Before him, his young master asked with a cheerful and relaxed expression.

"My lord, if it's possible, I'd like to leave the manor."

The young master remained calm and smiled, saying, "You told me about leaving the manor? You can leave whenever you want."

Qingcao lowered her head in grievance, looking at the ground in front of her young master, and said with great courage, "Young master, I want to leave the manor and get married."

The surroundings suddenly became quiet.

The grass pricked up its ears, eagerly anticipating hearing its young master's voice.

At the same time, the grass hopes that the surrounding tranquility will continue.

Then she would no longer have to wait for her young master's reply as if she were awaiting trial.

"Leave the mansion. Oh, this is what you mean by 'leave the mansion.' I thought you wanted to go out and play."

Hearing her young master's voice, Qingcao lowered her head and nodded.

"Green grass, you."

The renewed silence gave Qingcao a glimmer of hope.

"Alright, then I'll have Zhengzheng prepare for you. You must first see who your husband is."

"Thank you very much, young master."

Green Grass replied, her heart empty.

Suddenly, the surroundings darkened, and the scene of everyone reuniting at the Duke's mansion that night appeared before Qingcao.

"Zhengzheng! Could it be?" came the surprised voice of the Duchess.

The princess, who had her back to her, nodded in Qingcao's eyes.

Seeing this scene and hearing the Duke's hearty laughter, a surge of joy welled up in Qingcao's heart.

Seeing her young master raise an eyebrow at her smugly, Qingcao couldn't help but laugh.

For some inexplicable reason, Qingcao recalled the first time she drank alcohol, and the warm memory of the discomfort in her throat and stomach at that time came to mind.

Then came a dazed state, a mixture of emotions.

"This is good, really good."

A voice echoed in Qingcao's heart, but the more she thought about it, the more bitter she felt.

"Wake up quickly!"

The voice echoed in the heart of the green grass.

Qingcao agreed wholeheartedly, muttering to herself, "In the future... in the future, I won't be able to see the young master every day like this." But saying this made Qingcao feel even more like crying.

Once she made up her mind, Qingcao realized she was awake.

"Sister Green Grass?"

As soon as Qingcao opened her eyes, she heard a woman calling her name, but she couldn't make out who it was while she was still half asleep.

"Hmm." Feeling her eyelids getting tired, Qingcao looked at the canopy above her head, responded with a soft "hmm," and then closed her eyes to rest again.

Immediately, a joyful shout rang out: "She's awake! Sister Green Grass is awake!"

"I just woke up from my nap, what's all the fuss about!" A faint thought drifted through Qingcao's mind.

"Quack quack—quack quack"

Outside, the soft croaking of frogs could be heard.

After taking a deep breath, Qingcao closed her eyes again.

Before she knew it, she heard footsteps beside her, and a calming presence appeared beside her.

When Qingcao opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was Xu Zaijing, who was looking at him with a furrowed brow and a look of heartache in his eyes.

"Young Master," Qingcao called out with a smile.

You don't know until you speak; once you start talking, the grass realizes it's losing its strength.

"Rest a little longer," Xu Zaijing said gently.

Qingcao forced a smile: "Young master, I'm fine, it's just that my stomach hurt badly last night."

"Hoo—" Xu Zaijing exhaled, looking at Qingcao, whose face was pale and whose eyes were bluish, and frowned, "Does it hurt a lot, or is that all?"

Green Grass: "Young Master, it's me."

Before Qingcao could finish speaking, Xu Zaijing turned his head to look elsewhere, remained silent for a moment, then stood up and walked outside.

Qingcao followed Xu Zaijing's figure and saw the screen inside the room, only then realizing that she was no longer in her room.

"Take care of her."

"Yes, my lord."

"My lord, Qingcao, she..." Chai Zhengzheng's concerned voice came.

"It's alright, don't worry, he's already awake."

"It's alright, it's alright," Rong Feiyan and Minglan's voices rang out.

While talking,
Yunxiang had already walked around the screen and reached the grass bed.

"Yunxiang, what's wrong?" Qingcao asked blankly, "What time is it now?"

"Sister Green Grass, it's already past 11:00 AM."

"What?" Qingcao asked incredulously, then frowned and hissed.

"Sister Qingcao, just bear with it. Doctor Ren said it's normal to still feel pain after waking up! After taking the medicine, it will relieve some of the pain."

Green Grass frowned and nodded.

After a moment, Qingcao closed her eyes and whispered, "Look, did I faint from the pain?"

"Hmm!" Yun thought, "Now that I think about it, it was the food we ate yesterday at noon. It was a bit cold, and you were being greedy, sister."

Green Grass sighed dejectedly, "I really am someone who only remembers the good and not the bad."

As she spoke, Qingcao wearily opened her eyes: "I've caused trouble for the Princess and the Lord."

Yun Xiang pursed her lips and whispered, "Sister Qingcao, are you really going to leave the manor?"

Before Qingcao could answer, Yunxiang continued in a low voice, "You didn't see how exhausted the young master was when he returned to the manor, and you know how anxious he was when you fainted."

"I...I've already told the young master and mistress that I'm leaving," Qingcao said in a low voice.

Yunmu pursed her lips and said, "Sister Qingcao, you might not be able to leave."

"Hmm?" Qingcao frowned, looking at Yunxiang with a puzzled expression.

Yun Xiang whispered, "Not long after the young master returned to the manor this morning, our eldest son-in-law came along."

"The heir of the Marquis of Ningyuan?" Qingcao asked.

Yun nodded: "I heard from the lady beside the princess that the heir of the Marquis of Ningyuan was in the study and scolded the young master very angrily. The young master then sent someone to find you, and that's how I saw you."

"When Physician Ren was taking your pulse and administering your medicine, you talked a lot of nonsense, and the young master heard it all."

“I could tell that the young master was both remorseful and distressed, and Hua Xiang even cried when she saw it.”

Qingcao lowered her head, her heart heavy with loneliness, and said, "Then, the mistress and the other two concubines will think I'm faking it, just to stay, like that one from the Sheng family."

Yunmu shook his head, holding Qingcao's cold and greasy hand: "Sister Qingcao, Doctor Ren is no quack. She can tell whether you're faking it or not just by taking your pulse."

“When you first woke up, I went to the young master to report to him. When I came back, I heard from Xiao Tao that the young master and the princess had decided that you couldn’t leave, sister.”

"We can continue to stay together in the future."

Hearing this, and seeing Yun Xiang smiling, Qingcao felt very at ease, while her vision gradually filled with tears.

Blinking, Qingcao looked at Yunxiang wiping away her tears and smiled, nodding gently.

"Oh right! I forgot to tell Sister Qingcao some great news!" Yunxiang said with a smile, holding Qingcao's hand: "The Crown Princess is giving birth today, and His Majesty has his first grandson."

"Huh?" Green Grass looked on in surprise.

Yun nodded in affirmation: "I heard that this morning, palace servants discovered several newly opened twin lotus flowers in the palace's pond garden!"

Green Grass whispered, "That's truly an auspicious sign!"

"Yes! When the young master returned, he brought back many rewards."

(End of this chapter)