good season

The Feng family was holding a funeral. Yang Shengqiu originally planned to go to the Feng family to pay his respects after finishing his work. However, just before he was about to leave the office, the Vice Minister called him over and handed him a pile of documents. These were all documents that had piled up while he was away. There was nothing he could do. Although the office was not sealed for seventeen days in the first month of the lunar calendar, everyone's mind was no longer on the office. They were all slacking off when they went to the office and making all sorts of excuses to leave early.

Seeing Yang Shengqiu's barely concealed resistance, the Vice Minister sneered inwardly: "If I can't command those seasoned veterans, surely I can command a newcomer like you? What? You have powerful backers? Who here doesn't have powerful backers?"
Since they all have powerful connections, it comes down to seniority.

Looking at the Ministry of Revenue, Yang Shengqiu is the least senior. If he doesn't take the job, who will? The top scholar? The Vice Minister was the top scholar twenty years ago. There's no shortage of top scholars here.

Yang Shengqiu had no choice but to take over the pile of documents. By the time he had finally managed to process most of them, everyone else had already left.

Yang Shengqiu sighed, locked the unprocessed documents in the cabinet, and walked out of the Ministry of Revenue alone.

Two murders occurred in succession, resulting in the deaths of a second-in-command and the son of the prime minister. However, the people did not seem to be affected. Under the cover of night, the capital of Dayong was still adorned with flowers and filled with singing and dancing.

Occasionally, the carriages of nobles would pass by, and the soft voices of women, accompanied by the scent of rouge, would echo in the night.

On a wide street where four carriages could travel side by side, two carriages refused to give way to each other. The playboys inside had a long-standing grudge, and one of them simply blocked the way for the other carriages. The servants of both families rushed up with sticks and started fighting in the street.

Yang Shengqiu's sedan chair was first forced to the side of the road, and then had to turn around and take a side road, taking a long detour to reach the Feng residence. Fortunately, the silk gifts had been prepared in advance, otherwise buying them on the spot would have delayed things.

Upon arriving at the Feng residence, Yang Shengqiu offered incense before the coffin of Master Feng. It was already evening, and only a boy of about twelve or thirteen years old was keeping vigil with his younger brother who was seven or eight years old. Master Feng's eldest son was nowhere to be seen. Yang Shengqiu comforted the two children for a few words and then wanted to see Feng Ke, but was told that the Prime Minister Feng had already gone to bed.

The white-haired man had to bury the black-haired man. Although Feng Ke stood tall, he was exhausted and had been going to bed early these past few days.

Helpless, Yang Shengqiu had no choice but to leave the Feng residence early. Standing in front of the Feng residence, he looked around and saw only a few white lanterns, which looked bleak and dim.

An indescribable sorrow welled up in Yang Shengqiu's heart. He thought of the humiliation he had endured in the Changshou Palace these past few days, and of the endless paperwork in the government office and his colleagues who drank tea and chatted. For the first time, Yang Shengqiu thought of Princess Huiming.

That smiling, radiant girl always looked at him with adoration.
Yang Shengqiu shook his head. A princess with an awkward status was not worth his recollection.

Almost instantly, another young girl's face replaced Princess Huiming's; she was pretty and sweet, with her eyes crinkling when she smiled.

Little girl.

No, he had already investigated the house in Tianjing Hutong. The old man Zhen and his granddaughter lived there. Everyone in the neighborhood knew that the family was well-off, but only moderately well-off. The little girl often went grocery shopping with the maid. The old man Zhen ate breakfast at a small stall every day. He didn't even have a servant with him, only two dogs.

However, he knew that this was just an appearance.

Several young masters from the Duke of Wei's mansion had visited Tianjing Hutong, and even Zhao Tingluo had been seen in the vicinity of Tianjing Hutong. These young masters did not go to just any place, especially Zhao Tingluo, who was a child who grew up in the palace.

In addition, he also suspected that Xiao Nannan was related to the Liang Prince's Mansion, because Xiuxiu used a travel permit from Liang, and Xiao Nannan's Beijing dialect also had a Liang accent.

There are many people from Liang in the capital, but not all of them can climb up to the Duke of Wei's mansion.

But if it's someone from the Liang Prince's Mansion, then it's different, because the Liang Prince's Mansion and the Duke of Wei's Mansion are related by marriage!

Yang Shengqiu took a deep breath. He had used Princess Huiming to secure the opportunity to become Feng Ke's son-in-law, but unfortunately, things didn't go as planned, and the marriage was ruined. In the end, he only managed to get the position in the Ministry of Revenue.

This position could indeed produce political achievements, but perhaps his birth chart was incompatible with the Ministry of Revenue. Since arriving at the Ministry of Revenue, he has only been able to be described in five words: "He has been burdened with troubles but has received no reward."

Yang Shengqiu laughed self-deprecatingly.

Since he sacrificed Princess Huiming, he appeared to be living a glorious life, but in reality, he had fallen into a vicious cycle.

He spun around like a top, but he couldn't escape.

He desperately needs a new springboard; he needs to break free from this vicious cycle as soon as possible. Only then can he embark on his own path to success.

And the little girl is the only stepping stone he can see right now.

The news that the Liang Prince's Mansion secretly sent people to infiltrate the capital and to secretly befriend members of the imperial family and nobles was a bombshell for both the emperor and the third prince.

However, he could not act rashly. Xiao Nannan had read the letter and knew more about his background. Even if the Imperial Guards arrested everyone in Tianjing Hutong one day, he would take Xiao Nannan away first.

The little girl must not fall into the emperor's hands, otherwise it would be detrimental to him.

Yang Shengqiu finally smiled for the first time that day. The girl named Xiuxiu was as innocent as a blank sheet of paper, her joys and sorrows written all over her face.

But he didn't want to see Xiuxiu. Every time he saw Xiuxiu's eyes, he would think of Princess Huiming.

Because both of them looked at him with adoration, the difference being that Princess Huiming's adoration was tinged with shyness, while Xiuxiu's was full of curiosity.

But they are the same kind of people. Even though their identities are vastly different, they are the same at heart: innocent and naive.

Yang Shengqiu sat in the sedan chair, which slowly moved out of the dim light and shadow and into the endless night.
Xia Dachuan didn't return to Tianjing Hutong until very late. As soon as he got back, he couldn't wait to find Xiuxiu and tell her that Yang Shengqiu had returned.

"Scholar Yang is truly dedicated. The Ministry of Revenue had already closed long ago, and everyone else had left. He was the last one to come out. After leaving the Ministry of Revenue, he went to the Feng residence with a silk gift, presumably to offer condolences. However, he didn't stay at the Feng residence for long before leaving. But he didn't leave immediately; he stood outside the Feng residence gate for a long time, as if he had something on his mind."

Xia Dachuan said a lot, but Xiuxiu only remembered a few words: Yang Shengqiu is back!
Her face flushed with excitement. The second young lady had been giving her a lot of extra lessons these past few days, teaching her how to face Yang Shengqiu. She had practiced in front of the mirror several times, and now it was finally going to come in handy.

She will soon be able to personally verify whether Yang Shengqiu is truly as the Second Miss claims, harboring ill intentions.
Xia Dachuan saw that Xiuxiu's face turned red; the girl's cheeks were bright red, like fruit hanging on a branch.

Xiuxiu must admire Scholar Yang.

It must be, otherwise why would they have sent him to wait at the household registration office? Miss Xiuxiu is shy and embarrassed to go herself, so they sent him instead.

Come to think of it, Scholar Yang is learned and handsome, which girl wouldn't like him?
Thinking of the handsome and refined Scholar Yang, Xia Dachuan subconsciously wiped his face. He had been running around all day, and his face was very dirty. In fact, even if it wasn't dirty, his face was still dark. After seeing Xiuxiu, Xia Dachuan went to the kitchen to find something to eat, but unfortunately he only found a cold steamed bun, two pieces of frozen pork belly, and a few cabbages.

He sighed, just about to make do with whatever he could find, when a slender figure suddenly darted in through the doorway.

As a guard, Xia Dachuan noticed the person as soon as he entered. He turned around abruptly and saw the person walking in.

"Miss Xiuxiu, what brings you here?"

Xiuxiu looked at the cold steamed bun in his hand and felt a little embarrassed: "I'm sorry, because you helped me with something, you didn't even get to eat."

Xia Dachuan waved the steamed bun in his hand: "There's food. This steamed bun is made of white flour."

Back in the Imperial Guard, it wasn't like they ate white flour every day. They mostly ate mixed grain steamed buns, and occasionally they would get white flour steamed buns, but they could only eat two at most. Later, when he became a guard for the Second Miss, he could eat as much white flour and refined rice as he wanted. Such a life was something he could only dream of when he was a child.

Xiuxiu looked around and said to Xia Dachuan, "It's so cold, how can we eat only cold steamed buns? Guard Xia, please wait a moment, I'll cook quickly, it will be ready in a little while."

Is Miss Xiuxiu going to cook for him herself?
Xia Dachuan hurriedly said, "Miss Xiuxiu, you mustn't. I'm full after eating a steamed bun."

Xiuxiu said with a smile, "Are you worried that I can't cook? Let me tell you, my family runs an inn. I used to help out in the kitchen all the time. Oh, and I also worked as a helper in a food shop."

After saying that, Xiuxiu started to get busy. Xia Dachuan was at a loss. Although Xiuxiu called the Second Miss "Second Miss" just like them, Xia Dachuan knew that Xiuxiu was different from them and different from Lingbo. She was not a servant. The Second Miss treated her like a little sister she played with.

How could someone like that be expected to cook for him? He's just a rough man, how could he possibly deserve it?
Xia Dachuan spun around in place several times before finally finding his voice: "I, I, I'll start the fire."

The next day, Xiuxiu went out again, just like before.

She was actually a little scared. She was originally a very brave girl, otherwise she wouldn't have run so far with only a cat. But the kidnapping incident last time, although Zhao Shiqing told her that it was very likely arranged by Yang Shengqiu, still left her with psychological trauma. When walking on the street, she would subconsciously look around.

She considered asking Wan Ruyi or Zhang Ye to go out with her, but before leaving, she decided to go out alone.

She worried that if Yang Shengqiu saw that there were other people around her, he wouldn't approach her.

Xiuxiu walked out onto the street and secretly looked around. People around her were in a hurry and no one paid attention to her, so she breathed a sigh of relief.

Only after she had walked far away did Xia Dachuan emerge from behind a big tree. Luckily, he was almost discovered by Xiuxiu.

Xiuxiu must still be shaken by the experience of being kidnapped. Even though he was far away, he could still sense her fear.

But Xiuxiu still went out alone. The road she took led to the Ministry of Revenue. Was Xiuxiu going to see Scholar Yang?

It's still time for the yamen (official business), so Miss Xiuxiu probably won't be able to see Scholar Yang.

Could it be that Miss Xiuxiu wants to wait for Scholar Yang outside the yamen, just like him?
Xiuxiu is truly devoted in love.

There are many bad people in the capital, including kidnappers and assassins. Two important figures were killed just a few days ago. The capital is too unsafe. There are still a few hours before the end of the day. What should Miss Xiuxiu do if she encounters bad people again?
So he decided to stay and wait until Scholar Yang finished his official duties before leaving.

Xiuxiu knew, of course, that it was still time to go to the yamen. She didn’t really know where she was going. She first went to the shop where she had met Yang Shengqiu last time, bought a few things randomly, and then walked from one end of the street to the other.

I ate a bowl of wontons at a street stall at noon, while two elderly men next to me were chatting.

One person asked, "You were going to sue your neighbor for tearing down your wall, weren't you? Did you actually do it?"

Another person replied, "Not yet. During the first month of the lunar year, the officials in the yamen just go to report for duty every day and leave early. They don't care about anything important. I'm thinking of waiting until after the first month of the lunar year to go to the yamen to submit my petition."

What was said in jest was taken seriously by the listener. Xiuxiu's eyes lit up. The yamen (government office) closed early in the first month of the lunar year.

Wait a minute, Xia Daiwei said yesterday that Yang Shengqiu was the last one to leave the office. Sigh, this guy is quite dedicated. Why doesn't he slack off?

Xiuxiu was a little depressed. Why not pretend to be Yang Shengqiu's neighbor and report to the Ministry of Revenue that Yang Shengqiu's house was on fire and that he should go back quickly?
But a fire is a big deal. What if Yang Shengqiu doesn't believe it?
Then we won't use water, we'll just say a thief broke in?

Xiuxiu hesitated for a long time between taking the fire route and catching the thief, and finally decided to take the fire route.

When she went out today, she specially brought a human skin mask. This human skin mask was made by her uncle and was just as exquisite as the one Xiao Zhen wore.

She went to a secondhand clothing shop and bought a set of coarse cloth clothes that were neither new nor old. When she came out of the back door of the secondhand clothing shop, she was already an ordinary-looking boy.

Sparse eyebrows, small eyes, and a flat nose—the kind of face you'd forget as soon as you saw it.

Xia Dachuan waited outside the secondhand clothing shop for a long time, but Xiuxiu did not come out. He saw an aunt leading her grandson out of the shop. Xia Dachuan went over and asked, "Auntie, did you see a young girl in the shop, about fifteen or sixteen years old, wearing a blue cotton cloak?"

The old woman glared at him, but didn't stop walking. Xia Dachuan quickly took out a handful of copper coins and was about to count out a few when the old woman grabbed them all: "There are no young girls or young wives inside. Besides your old aunt, there is no other woman!"

Xia Dachuan didn't believe it and ran into the shop. Sure enough, just as the aunt had said, there wasn't a single woman in the shop!

Despite the freezing weather, Xia Dachuan broke out in a cold sweat.

Xiuxiu was lost, lost again, and kidnapped by abductors.

Xiuxiu is such a smart girl, she definitely wasn't kidnapped, she's a flower-picking gang, yes, it must be! (End of Chapter)