maidservant

Chapter 108: The Mansion is Newly Built, Lin Xiaoyun and Shan Yan’s Wedding Date
Yunshan had many questions in her heart. Those questions were like wildly growing vines, tightly entwining her heart and making her unable to let go.

And she knew that only one person could give her the answers to these questions - Lin Xiao.

Finally, the Tiansi Pharmacy was closed that day. Yunshan was like a little bird longing for freedom. She couldn't wait to break free from the constraints of the palace and find the answer in her heart.

However, at the Imperial Hospital, Situ Zhen made use of her as a clever "medical servant". Fortunately, Situ Zhen was a bit greedy, and Yun Shan knew his preferences very well.

So, she wished for a Liao Ji braised chicken in exchange for a precious day off.

After Yunshan left the palace, she came to a deserted place, took a deep breath, and tried to call out, "Is the guard here?"

The sound echoed in the silent air, and she looked around, her eyes full of anticipation.

Suddenly, turning around, a large, dark shadow appeared before her. Yunshan was so frightened that her heart skipped a beat and she almost cried out. After calming down, she saw that it was the guard in front of her.

"I, I want to see Lin Xiao, is he free?"

Zhanqian said nothing, but nodded slightly, motioning her to follow him. The two of them went to the stable and rented two horses.

With joy in her heart, she was in a good mood. Along the way, the scenery along the road passed by her eyes like a series of paintings.

They headed towards Lin Xiao's new mansion on the edge of the city. This was Yunshan's second time in this mansion, and the scene before her brightened her eyes.

The entire mansion was brand new, devoid of its former sense of decay. The vermilion lacquer of the gate gleamed in the sunlight, the doorknocker polished to a high shine. The two stone lions at the entrance were majestic, no longer intrusive, but perfectly fitting the entrance.

"Lin Zuo General's Mansion," Yun Shan read the words. The plaque must have been newly hung. "This calligraphy doesn't look like the calligraphy of a master."

"The general's own calligraphy, carved by Yan Lie for him."

"."

Walking into the yard, the first thing that catches your eye is the old locust tree. It looks even stronger, and the sunlight shines through the gaps between its branches onto the ground, creating a scene of light and shadow.

Yunshan couldn't help but sigh that the old locust tree seemed to have become a lot younger.

Although it is not yet the season for the flowers and plants in the yard, their roots have already taken root firmly, like little lives full of vitality, quietly accumulating strength.

Yunshan imagined that next spring, this place would be a scene of blossoms. Colorful flowers would bloom in full bloom, red like fire, pink like clouds, and white like snow. The fragrance of the flowers filled the entire yard, attracting countless bees and butterflies to dance among the flowers.

There were only a few gardeners still working in the yard. When they saw Yunshan, they bowed and stepped back.

The pool filled with fresh water by the wall is so clear that you can see the sand and rocks at the bottom.

The octagonal pavilion beside the pond was newly painted red, and it looked particularly bright in the sunlight. There was a sunshade tent above the intersection of the pavilion and the pond, and there was also a rocking chair in the pavilion.

"General Lin Zuo really knows how to enjoy life. On a hot summer day, sitting in a rocking chair, fanning himself with a palm-leaf fan, feeling the breeze, and listening to the fish jumping in the pond—just thinking about it makes me feel so comfortable!"

No one responded. Yunshan turned around and Zhanqian disappeared again.

After passing through a crescent-shaped gate, Yunshan was even more surprised by the scene inside. There were actually more than a dozen crabapple trees planted there, of various varieties, but all of them were sturdy and strong.

Begonias and weeping begonias are interspersed here and there. Yunshan calculated that from April to October of next year, a full six months, the yard would be full of blooming begonias.

She recalled the ideas she had shared with Lin Xiao about the yard, and she hadn't expected him to remember them all. And the old gardener, who had actually managed to make the fantastical descriptions he had given her into reality.

"He is thoughtful." Yunshan murmured.

Is this my future home?

In the future, they will take walks in the yard, appreciate the beauty of the four seasons together, and spend every ordinary yet warm day together. Such a happy life will secretly wrap around this girl.

At this moment, even a deity couldn't be happier than Yunshan. She stood quietly in the yard, enjoying this moment of peace and happiness, her heart filled with longing for the future.

The winter sun, like a thread, gently sprinkled on the courtyard of Lin Xiao's mansion. Yunshan stood quietly in this peaceful world, her eyes wandering over the surrounding scenery.

It might not be appropriate for Yunshan to go into the inner hall alone at this moment, so she tactfully stayed in the yard.

The warm sunlight poured down, covering the entire courtyard with a layer of golden gauze. Yunshan felt her whole body wrapped in this warmth, and fatigue gradually came over her.

He walked to the recliner, sat down slowly, and rocked comfortably.

Although it was winter, Yunshan wrapped herself tightly in furry clothes. It was a sunny day today, and the windless weather allowed the warmth to spread freely. She slowly closed her eyes and immersed herself in the beautiful atmosphere of this warm winter.

"It's cold outside."

At some point, Lin Xiao quietly came up behind her and whispered. Yunshan was rocking leisurely in the rocking chair at that time. When she heard the sound, she suddenly came to her senses and instantly realized that her posture seemed a little unseemly. She hurriedly struggled to stand up.

But the more anxious she got, the more her hands and feet became uncontrollable and clumsy. She tossed and turned in the rocking chair twice, but she was still stuck.

Their eyes met inadvertently, and in an instant, they smiled at each other, that smile full of intimacy and tacit understanding.

Lin Xiao extended his hand to Yunshan, offering her support. Yunshan took his hand, stood up, and raised her hand to adjust her fur collar, with a bit of shyness in her movements.

"Why don't you wear the peacock feather dress I gave you? Don't you like it?" Lin Xiao asked with his head slightly tilted, his eyes full of concern.

"I like that thing very much. But I'm worried that it's too conspicuous, and I'm afraid it might get damaged by accident when I wear it." Yunshan's voice was gentle.

Lin Xiao looked at her with gentle eyes, and found a dead leaf in her hair, which must have fallen accidentally while she was walking in the yard. He naturally reached out and gently picked it off for her.

Yunshan did not hesitate and tilted her head slightly to follow his movements. At that moment, time seemed to become gentle, quiet and beautiful.

"Are you happy?"

Lin Xiao's voice was low and gentle, his eyes full of anticipation. Yun Shan knew in her heart that he was talking about the marriage granted by His Majesty.

"I am very happy." Yunshan raised her head and looked at Lin Xiao with her big, sparkling eyes, her eyes full of sincerity and happiness.

"I never thought I'd have the pleasure of you cherishing me like this."

However, beneath the joy of happiness, Yunshan also has many doubts and worries in her heart.

"But why did this go so smoothly?" "I'm not trying to belittle myself, but you and I are not a good match after all. Did you promise His Majesty something?"

"How on earth did you do that?"

"What is the attitude of the old marquis?"

She poured out all the doubts in her mind, her eyes full of inquiry.

Lin Xiao looked at her and raised his eyebrows slightly, as if to say "It's not convenient to go into details here", and then gestured for Yunshan to go into the inner hall to talk in detail.

The inner hall was decorated in an elegant and simple style. There were not many belongings, and it did not look like servants were tidying and cleaning it every day.

"Apart from the gardener, there are no other servants in this mansion?" Yunshan asked casually as she looked around.

"I want you to help me choose after I get back from my wedding."

Lin Xiao's face was filled with that playful and frivolous smile again.

"If I only recruit male servants, you, the future mistress, will be inconvenienced. If I recruit a few clever female servants, the mistress will become jealous and suspicious of me, which will be bad."

"Who... who is your wife? She hasn't..."

Yunshan's cheeks flushed instantly. She stretched out her hand shyly and anxiously to cover his mouth, but his big hand held it firmly.

"Everyone in Kyoto knows about our marriage, so it's not against the rules." Lin Xiao held her hand tightly and refused to let go.

"You haven't answered my question yet?"

Yunshan sat down at the corner table in the inner hall and looked up at Lin Xiao, with determination still in her eyes.

Lin Xiao's expression turned slightly serious. He looked into Yun Shan's eyes and said seriously:
"In Dali, my Lin family, even though my father has resigned from office, my eldest sister raised two royal heirs and holds a high position. I don't want my Lin family to become more powerful than just us."

Yunshan understood and was about to speak when Lin Xiao made a "silence" gesture. Then, he lowered his voice and said:

"In the past two years, many families have asked matchmakers to arrange marriages with our Lin family. Some of them are newly minted nobles, like our Lin family, who are at the peak of their power; or they are old nobles, whose power is complex and intertwined."

As he spoke, he bowed towards the palace and said, "They wouldn't want to see me marry into any of these families. If it weren't for the palace's tacit approval, I wouldn't have been able to calmly refuse the marriage until today."

"But you're different, Yunshan. You've made contributions that benefit the country, and His Majesty has praised you repeatedly. Furthermore, you have no connections and a clean background. Even if you have power, it's my sister, originally from the Lin family. Naturally, there won't be any obstacles to my marriage to you."

After hearing this, Yunshan understood a little, but she still asked:
"No, if that's the only reason, why did you look so difficult when I last saw you? What happened in the past two months? Are you hiding something from me?"

"Hehe." Lin Xiao just laughed and didn't answer. There seemed to be some little secret hidden in that smile.

"The Imperial Edict is a great favor to me. To have you help me raise my status like this, what have I paid for it? Or what will you pay for it in the future?"

Yunshan refused to give up, her eyes full of persistence. Seeing that he remained silent, she even reached out and shook his arm.

Lin Xiao couldn't persuade her, so he sighed and said slowly: "I'm afraid you will be unhappy if I tell you. In a few days, when the military handover is completed, I will hand in the talisman and leave Beijing."

"what?"

Yunshan widened her eyes, her face full of anger. She shook off his sleeve, stood up, and paced back and forth.

"How could you resign for me? How am I supposed to cope with the future?"

"Okay, okay, I'm not angry."

Lin Xiao hurriedly put on a smile and patiently explained,
"I'm not resigning. I'm going to the border of Southern Province. Young Prince... think about it, he's young, and although he's smart and cunning, he's been hiding and cultivating power for many years. At least he doesn't dare to openly collude with the military and political ministers."

"If it were just the old forces of his mother's clan, he wouldn't have the guts to rebel and force the emperor to abdicate. It's the Nanyi Kingdom. Someone has long been secretly communicating with my Dali, and this time they've joined forces with the young prince. So, His Majesty has ordered me to go, and this is all I can say. The rest involves military secrets..."

"I know the seriousness of the situation and will never tell anyone else, not even the Queen. But, is there any danger?" Yunshan's eyes were filled with worry.

"Your husband was once the Yama Luo who dominated the northern border. He will be fine."

Lin Xiao tried to comfort her, but as soon as the words came out of his mouth, they both fell silent.

They all knew that there was no war without bloodshed, and every expedition was accompanied by uncertainty about life and death, not to mention that this was a covert mission deep in enemy territory.

"Then our wedding date..." Yunshan broke the silence, with a hint of uneasiness in her voice.

"Is the bride anxious to get married?"

Lin Xiao started to joke around again, trying to ease the depressing atmosphere, but when he saw Yun Shan's worried look, he became serious again.
"Yunshan, when I return triumphantly from Nanyi, we will get married."

"Yeah. Okay, I'll wait for you."

Lin Xiao hesitated to speak.

"Father, after all, it was His Majesty who arranged the marriage. The worst that could happen to me is that he'll punish me by making me kneel in the ancestral hall. However, we have to return to Nanzhou to arrange our wedding. If father or the Marquis' wife gives you trouble, I'm afraid I won't be able to protect you every moment, Yunshan."

"I'm being disrespectful to filial piety by acting first and asking for permission later. I'm only causing you to suffer along with me. If you're unhappy, we can return to Kyoto a few days earlier."

"It's okay. The Marquis and his wife are both kindhearted." Yun Shan turned her head and looked at Lin Xiao. After hesitating for a moment, she asked cautiously, "Where's my aunt?"

Lin Xiao reluctantly uttered the word "one".

"Yunshan, I once thought of using my military merit to promote my mother to a concubine, but she insisted on not doing so, threatening to sever the mother-son relationship. My mother was once the Marquis's wife's dowry, and she holds her in high regard. According to the rules, she cannot attend our wedding. After the wedding, I want to take you to pay her a proper respect."

"As I should, I will also respect my aunt as my mother-in-law in my heart. Survival in the harem is not easy, and my aunt is a very wise person."

"Guard Zhanqian, there will be no need for him in the future. I will take care of it myself. Besides, it's peaceful now, so nothing will happen." Yunshan thought of this.

"Yunshan, this Kyoto may be far more complicated than you expected. Let's put this matter aside for now. He's protecting you because he received military orders."

The two chatted back and forth, and before they knew it, the afterglow of the setting sun had already streamed through the window into the inner hall, stretching their shadows out. Time slipped away quietly until it was dark, and they were forced to separate.

On the way back, Yunshan passed by Liaoji Roast Chicken Shop and bought three roast chickens. She remembered that besides Situ Zhen, there were two other people on duty at the Imperial Hospital today.