Union

Chapter 129 Don't even think about going back on your word
Yunying spent half the afternoon running around and finally bought a satisfactory birthday gift. Then she took a carriage back to the county government office.

As for the Second Master, after arranging for everyone to transport the dried goods from the dried goods shop to the north for sale as soon as possible, and to exchange them for coarse grains to be transported back, the Second Master finally came out of the dried goods shop.

It was already mid-afternoon, and the carriage that Yunying had been riding in had long since disappeared from the doorway of the work shed.

The second master sent someone to ask a few questions and learned that Yunying had already left and headed towards the central street.

Upon hearing this, the second master gave a light "heh," wondering what she wanted to buy in such a hurry, leaving without even saying goodbye.

As the second master pondered this matter, he mounted his horse.

Suiyun also mounted his horse and asked the Second Master, "You said you wanted to return to the manor early today, so shall we go back now, or go for a stroll somewhere else?"

Second Master considered that Yunying had gone to the central street, which was lined with shops and could be considered the busiest street in Yun Gui County. Since Yunying had gone, she probably wouldn't be back soon, so what was the point of him returning to the manor now?
The second master said, "Let's not go back yet, let's go out of the city and take a look."

The road over there was already quite a distance under construction yesterday, and the progress should be even faster today. I wonder how far they've gotten.

Second Master was thinking about the road repairs, and then he realized it was time to start recruiting unemployed workers. He decided to put Suiyun in charge of the matter.

While thinking about these miscellaneous matters, Second Master pulled on the reins of his horse, spurred it on, and galloped away.

The second master originally intended to check on the progress of the road repairs before returning to his residence. Unexpectedly, a severe landslide occurred on a section of road not far from the west gate.

The Second Master arrived just in time; the official in charge of this section of the journey had just mounted his horse, preparing to return to the county office to report the matter. Unexpectedly, the Second Master arrived at that precise moment, saving him a great deal of trouble.

The landslide occurred suddenly, and several young men who were repairing the road fell directly into the deep pit. Fortunately, although the pit was deep, it did not bury them, and the soil inside was soft and moist, so there were no casualties.

However, due to the road collapse, it was discovered that this section of the road had been affected by excessive rainfall from the previous hurricane, causing groundwater to become saturated and seep out. A large amount of soil in the surrounding loose soil was lost, forming underground cavities. Therefore, not only this section of the road would collapse, but the same situation would occur a hundred meters ahead.

This means we can no longer continue road construction according to the established plan.

After all, Yungui County receives ample rainfall and is frequently hit by typhoons. Even if this section of road were repaired, it would likely collapse again during frequent heavy rains or typhoons, causing delays in mineral transportation. Therefore, to avoid repeated rework, which would be costly, time-consuming, and labor-intensive, a new plan had to be devised, opting for an alternative route.

Second Master summoned the skilled craftsmen for another small meeting, instructing them to re-survey the selected section of the road. This time, they were to ensure that there were no other issues along the way, and only after confirming that everything was absolutely safe could they continue construction.

As for now, the road construction has to be suspended.

This matter delayed his journey, and by the time the Second Master returned to the mansion, it was already completely dark.

Second Master hurriedly entered the courtyard and immediately spotted Yunying standing under the eaves of the flower hall.

The courtyard was brightly lit, and several large red lanterns hung under the eaves. In the flickering light, she stood leaning against the railing, her clothes rustling in the strong wind. She glanced outside every now and then, her expression both blank and serene, her whole being ethereal as if she were about to ascend to immortality at any moment.

When she saw him enter the courtyard, she was instantly pulled back to the mundane world. Her bright almond-shaped eyes lit up immediately, and her moist red lips curved into a beautiful smile.

"You're back."

It was just a simple sentence, but to the Second Master it sounded like it had the power of thunder.

The second master was restless and agitated, his heart pounding so hard it felt like it was about to burst out of his chest.

The second master stepped forward, looking at her with deep, dark eyes, and said in a slightly hoarse voice, "I was delayed by something and came back late. Did I keep you waiting?"

"No, I just came out too." Yunying replied with a smile, then seemed to remember something and exclaimed, "Oh dear, let's not talk about this anymore, Second Master. You should go wash up quickly. I'll have the maids prepare the meal. We'll eat in a little while."

Second Uncle still had a lot to say, but after a long day out, he was covered in dust. Plus, he'd stepped into mud while inspecting the road for water seepage. His boots were muddy, and his trousers were half-wet; it was only because it was dark that it wasn't visible, otherwise it would have been quite an unsightly sight.

Second Master agreed and turned to go to his room.

A bathtub had already been placed in the clean room, and Yunying had even had hot water prepared in advance. Now the water was lukewarm, just right for the Second Master.

After removing his boots and clothes, the Second Master stepped into the bathtub and took a thorough and enjoyable bath.

When he emerged from the bathtub feeling refreshed, his half-wet hair cascading down his back, he went to the flower hall, only to find that Yunying was not there.

The second master frowned and asked Liu'er, who was standing in the flower hall, "Your young lady..."

Before he could finish speaking, the Second Master noticed Yunying's footsteps approaching.

The second master took two steps toward the door, just about to ask Yunying where she had gone since it was already dark, when he saw Yunying carrying a tray and carefully walking toward him.

"Nonsense! You've just recovered from a serious illness. Who told you to do these things? There are so many maids in this mansion. Why don't you use them and instead do chores yourself? Are you just feeling too comfortable?"

The second master scolded Yunying a few times with concern, but his hands didn't stop moving. He took the tray directly from Yunying's hands, carried it into the room, and placed it on the round table.

He was so preoccupied with worrying about Yunying that he paid no attention to the things on the tray.

Yunying was surprised that Second Master came out so quickly; she had thought he would need to take a while to shower.

However, she wasn't afraid of being seen by the Second Master. She smiled and said, "It's not heavy, just a bowl of noodles. I rested for a long time after I came back from outside today, and I have energy again."

"If you have the strength, continue to take care of yourself. Leave these rough jobs to the maids."

"I understand, I understand. From now on, I'll have the maids do it. I'll only do it this once. This is longevity noodles for you. I made it myself, so it's more sincere to bring it here personally. Please eat it while it's hot, so it doesn't get soggy and won't taste good."

Second Master suddenly stopped, his expression seemingly stiffening.

He glanced down at the table and saw that it was already laden with dishes. These dishes, both in appearance and presentation, looked more refined than usual. And on the tray he had just received lay a bowl of longevity noodles, its color, aroma, and flavor all exquisite.

The broth seemed to be made with chicken soup; it was clear and the aroma alone was enough to make one's mouth water. Looking at the noodles, however, they were somewhat uneven in thickness, and upon closer inspection, some appeared to be the work of a beginner…

The second master's mind raced, and his dark eyes turned to Yun Ying, "These noodles...did you make them?"

Yunying nodded hesitantly, somewhat embarrassed, and said, "I rolled out the noodles, and the soup base was simmered on the stove by the Kitchen Goddess early this morning."

Yunying wanted to say that this was the first time she had ever made noodles like this, and it was extremely difficult. She wasn't used to the rolling pin, and it hurt her palms. The first two flatbreads she made were tattered and unsightly; this bowl of noodles was made from the third flatbread.

Her hands were blistered and her wrists ached terribly from making this noodle dish. She had even insisted on carrying the bowl herself, but thankfully Second Master caught her in time; otherwise, she would have had to call Sui'er for help. Otherwise, she might not have even made it inside before the bowl of noodles was offered to the Earth God.

Although she thought this to herself, Yunying didn't say it aloud.

Although she didn't say it, her face showed lingering fear.

Making noodles is so difficult!

She's not cut out for this!

Second Master was an extremely shrewd man; he saw right through Yunying's thoughts at a glance. Immediately, he felt a pang of heartache.

Second Master grabbed Yunying's hand, and Yunying tried to pull away but couldn't.

The second master examined her palm closely. Yunying's palm was soft, white, and delicate, with several neat and orderly lines running through it. But he didn't look at these details closely; he only noticed that Yunying's palm was bright red, and there was a blister on her right palm. "Is this a blister from being rubbed?"

Yunying chuckled awkwardly, "I'm too clumsy. It took me several tries to make it passable. But it's definitely not as good as the noodles made by the Kitchen Goddess. Please bear with me, Second Master. Even if it's not very tasty, please eat a few more bites. This is a bowl of longevity noodles for you."

birthday noodles……

It's already October, and his birthday has indeed passed. Perhaps the hurricane turned Lingnan Prefecture into a forbidden area, causing the birthday gifts from the capital to be delayed on the way.

Otherwise, if Yunying hadn't mentioned it, he wouldn't have remembered his birthday.

But if I forget about it, I forget about it; it's not a big deal anyway.

But she specially prepared longevity noodles for him...

Second Master looked at Yunying and gave a low "hmm," saying, "I'll pick it open for you after we've eaten."

"Then we don't need to, right?"

"need."

Yunying nodded quickly, "Okay, okay, whatever you say. Please eat quickly, or the noodles will really get soggy."

"I'm not afraid if it gets soggy, I'll definitely finish it."

Yunying smiled, "It's not that you have to finish it all, just eat some as a gesture. My cooking skills are really not good, so it's okay if you eat less."

This time, the Second Master didn't respond; instead, he pulled Yunying to sit down in the seat.

Second Master started eating noodles and finished them all in one go.

Actually, there wasn't much noodles to begin with. Yunying was worried that the Second Master wouldn't like her cooking, so she prepared only a small portion. Her thinking was that if the noodles weren't good, he could just eat more vegetables…

Seeing how much respect the Second Master was giving her, Yunying suddenly realized that her noodles weren't so bad after all. She'd make noodles for him again for his next birthday.

After the meal, Yunying took out the birthday gift for the Second Master.

That was none other than a jade belt. Of course, calling it a "diexie belt" would be more accurate.

The belt is somewhat similar to a modern men's belt, except that it has brass rings or hooks on the belt plate for carrying things.

This was the birthday gift that Yunying had carefully selected. Of all the shops in Yungui County, she thought this sash was the most pleasing to the eye.

The belt is entirely dark in color and about two fingers wide, typical of an adult. The piping is embroidered with auspicious cloud patterns, and the central panel features two pouches with eight rings. Made entirely of rhinoceros leather using a special technique, it appears both sharp and elegant, yet also dignified and refined.

The moment Yunying saw the belt, she couldn't help but picture the Second Master wearing a black or red outfit with the belt tied around his waist.

The image of him being dashing and riding alone in short clothes immediately came to mind. Yunying was so impressed by the Second Master's handsomeness that she had a nosebleed just imagining it.

Therefore, even though this sash was quite valuable, Yunying gritted her teeth and bought it, giving it to the Second Master as a birthday gift.

Yunying was very satisfied with the ribbon, but looking at the Second Master's calm expression, she couldn't help but feel uneasy: she was only concerned with her own satisfaction, but she didn't know if the Second Master liked this thing.

Fortunately, the expression on Second Master's face gradually relaxed, and even a smile appeared in his eyes.

Seeing this, Yunying felt a weight lifted off her shoulders and was so happy she wanted to spin around in circles.

The Second Master also liked the gift she gave him; her efforts were not in vain!

Yunying leaned closer to the Second Master, her eyes crinkling as she asked for confirmation, "You like it, don't you?"

"I like it." The second master added restrainedly, "I like it very much."

The second master looked up at Yunying, but Yunying was only focused on her joy, and there was no other meaning in her eyes.

The second master lowered his eyes and smiled.

He knew she wouldn't understand the meaning of giving a man a sash.

In the capital, this is what the woman gives to her fiancé after the couple is engaged.

She was too busy hiding her feelings to give him a sash so openly.

However, since she had already given it to him, she shouldn't even think about going back on her word.

Second Master solemnly took a box and put the sash away.

Seeing this, Yunying felt both pleased and puzzled.

Second Master has many jade belts, why would he be so fond of this Diexie belt?

Although the ribbon was a gift from her and was somewhat unique, I still felt it was a bit strange that the Second Master valued her so much.

Looking closely at the Second Master's expression, Yun Ying couldn't discern anything from his inscrutable face.

But her intuition told her that something seemed amiss.

Yunying thought for a long time but couldn't figure out what was wrong.

Finally, she simply stopped thinking about it, assuming it was just her being paranoid, and quickly put the matter out of her mind.

After the meal, the second master suggested taking a walk in the courtyard.

The moonlight was beautiful tonight, and the wind had stopped. Yunying nodded in agreement and went out with the Second Master.

But before leaving, the Second Master was concerned about her health, so he sent someone back to the room to get her a cloak.

Yunying didn't want to wear it, finding it cumbersome. But the Second Master firmly grasped her shoulders, turned her around, and personally draped the cloak over her shoulders and tied the belt.

The second master's hand accidentally touched her chin. Yunying resisted the urge to back away, but her body was tense and she couldn't help but turn her head away.

Fortunately, the second master only touched her unintentionally, and he quickly helped her tie the ribbon and stepped back a bit.

They walked around the courtyard twice. Second Master told Yunying the purpose of his visit to the dried goods store today, and also mentioned that the road construction had encountered a landslide and the work was now suspended.

Yunying then told the Second Master that Qiu Ning complained that she didn't visit her, and that she had found many rare and sought-after items in the shops while shopping today...

The two of them talked back and forth for a long time.

The moon hung high above their heads, and occasionally a breeze would blow, making their shadows seem to intertwine. The scene was truly picturesque.