Destined Marriage with Fragrance - Chapter 35

Chapter 35

Written Journal (Part 1)

After eating dinner, she politely refused Qi Rui’s company, Murong Shu Qing went back on the winding pathways, slowly strolling to return to Die Cui Xiao Su. The design of the Qi manor’s rear court was different than the Murong family’s design. The Murong’s family did not have this kind of winding pathways, this was actually a strange place for Murong Shu Qing. The main hall and the building in the manor were very masculine, flowers and plants were very little, while there was this kind of delicate and elaborate winding pathways. It was a combination of masculinity and gentleness, and very interesting.

She did not see her ‘big uncle’, ‘small uncle’ and ‘Feng Xian biaoge (older male cousin from the maternal’s side) whom Lu Yi had mentioned at tonight’s family feast. She only saw a couple of cute children, one was her big uncle, Qi Yun’s young daughter, who was also the only girl from the present generation of the Qi’s family, Qi Yu. The other one was her small uncle’s son, Qi Feng Zhuo. The two young children were very interested with her, and they kept asking everything for the whole evening. Looking at them, it made her remember Xing Hun. The first time when she saw Xing Hun, he was also as big as them, but he was a sarcastic child, and filled with sadness and dejection. Sure enough, that a family played a decisive role in the child’s growth.

Murong Shu Qing’s heart was thinking randomly, while her feet were entering the small courtyard leisurely. She only saw a couple of girls who were surrounding the front of the table inside the pavilion, and did not know what they were doing. Quietly walking behind them, the two people were seriously washing the leaves of the chaste tree shrubs and put them on the inside of the crescent moon’s embroidery pouch. Murong Shu Qing smilingly asked: “What are you guys doing?”

The two people frighteningly startled, and turned around to see Murong Shu Qing who was smiling and standing behind them. Lu Yi patted her startled heart, and said: “Miss, you scare me to death.”

She only asked one sentence, this was frightening?! Murong Shu Qing laughed and peered at that embroidery pouch that was on her hand, it was beautiful, the embroidery was not ordinary, but it was meticulous stitches of the white chrysanthemum, one could see that the person was a careful and delicate embroider. It was faintly emitting the fragrant of the chaste tree tea, so it made this embroidery pouch looked even more elegant.

Murong Shu Qing played with it, while she was smilingly asking: “This is?”

Lu Yi took the embroidery pouch, handed it over to Jing Shui, and made her to put the rest of the chaste tree shrubs inside of the embroidery pouch. Then she gently supported Murong Shu Qing and made her sit on the wooden chair inside of the pavilion, smilingly explained: “This is Jing Shui’s embroidery pouch, it can hold the chaste tree shrubs inside so one can carry it. I know that Miss likes the tea so much, so you will definitely like it.”

“Giving it to me?” Murong Shu Qing softly smiled.

“En.” Jing Shui properly tightened up the embroidery pouch, and gave it to Lu Yi.

But Lu Yi did not take it, and turned around to stand by the side of Murong Shu Qing, then she gave her an expression to say that she should give it on her own.

Murong Shu Qing smilingly looked at the two girls who exchanged expressions, actually when she was not there, the two people had already built a good feeling for each other. She did not say anything either, and waited to see what Jing Shui would do.

Jing Shui was kneading the embroidery pouch, she slowly moved to the front of Murong Shu Qing, and said in a whisper: “Miss, I give this to you.” Finished speaking, she handed over the embroidery pouch to Murong Shu Qing.

Looking at the embroidery pouch that was in front of her and that person who always refused to raise her head to look at her, Murong Shu Qing’s smile came out, her gentle laughter that was not loud, was echoing like a ripple inside of the small courtyard.

Lu Yi and Jing Shui did not understand why Murong Shu Qing was laughing like this, Jing Shui was grasping the embroidery pouch, and puzzlingly looking at Murong Shu Qing and she forgot to bow her head.

Murong Shu Qing gradually stopped her laughter, took the embroidery pouch from Jing Shui’s hand, and pulled Lu Yi and Jing Shui to sit on the wooden chairs next to her, then she softly said: “Thank you, Jing Shui.”

Jing Shui who originally did not dare to sit down, heard Murong Shu Qing’s words, she promptly stood up, and said: “Miss, you do not have to say it like that.”

Pulling her down to sit by her side again, Murong Shu Qing was shaking the embroidery pouch, and she said: “I was laughing a moment ago because of this embroidery pouch, it made me able to look at you.”

Slightly frowning, Jing Shui did not understand, was she not here all along ah?

Looking at Jing Shui who had questionable eyes, Murong Shu Qing faintly smiled, and lightly said: “When I entered this courtyard, I only saw a shadow, and it was not you. Now, you are willing to let me see you, in that case, you have to raise your head when you speak with me in the future, alright? I want to see your eyes.”

From the beginning, she could see that this child had a mild autism and insecurity. The reason for this was probably because she had been residing here with her mother since childhood, and this was a relatively reclusive courtyard. Plus, that birthmark on her face, made her unable to approach people in the crowd or trust other people even more. Fortunately, she was not too serous, the embroidery pouch was only her intermediary, through it, Shu Qing could feel her kindness, so she was willing to accept her. This was her own opportunity to take her out of her confinement.

“En.” The soothing voice, and warmth expression, made Jing Shui’s eyes were red again, only this time, she did not lower her head anymore, or avoid Murong Shu Qing’s encouragement and kindness eyes. She rather nodded her head strongly.

She was willing to get out of the first step, this was a good thing, in the future, she could take her time. This could not be rush. Clapping her two hands, Murong Shu Qing lightly smiled and said: “You guys give me a cup of tea.”

“Yes!” Lu Yi knew that this time, Murong Shu Qing liked to be alone and quietness, so she took Jing Shui along, and entered the inner room.

Tying the embroidery pouch on her belt, Murong Shu Qing came out of the pavilion, and walked to the side of the small plot of white chrysanthemums, in front of the wooden cabin. Under the moonlight, it was spotlessly whiter and whiter, it was not as good as the courtyard that was filed with the chaste tree shrubs, but it did not lose any of its proudly elegance. No wonder that the people from the ancient time, would say that the natural charm to enter the wealthy household would come casually and inadvertently.

The loftiness and unyielding character of the nobles would make people to desire it on their own, but they could not bear to pluck it, due to a fear of losing its spirituality. Stroking the petals lightly, Murong Shu Qing quietly called out: “Yan Yu.”

Yan Yu came out to the front of Murong Shu Qing in a flash, after they arrived at the Qi’s family, he and Cang Su returned to be her secret bodyguards. They were used to protect her this way even more. But because of her being captured last time, the two people were more cautious.

Thinking deeply for a period of time, Murong Shu Qing said: “You go to Ying Ke Lou and tell Tan Rui (the character uses for the last name can be used as Tan or Qin, I choose Tan so it’s not too close to the last name Qi. Plus I think there’s a guy whose last name is Qin in the previous chapter too), I will come over tomorrow, let him prepare the stuffs that I want to see properly.” Going to the Capital this time, she wanted to check the businesses and the accounts, which was the one important objective. These past three years, she had been putting her attentions towards the businesses around the regions of Dong Yu. But the capital was the place where she had to control the speed of the growth, because here was the political center. The Imperial power was the most rich, powerful and the center of the focus, any benefits and change in relationships, would be very sensitive. Considering the pros and cons seemed to be especially important.

Yan Yu softly responded: “Yes!” At the same time, the person’s shadow was already out of the courtyard.

With regards to their ‘flying trapeze’ skill, Murong Shu Qing was already accustomed to it, she could still sigh before, but she immediately ignored it now. Letting go of the white chrysanthemums that were on her hand, Murong Shu Qing got up to go back to the inside pavilion, and slightly untied the thin silk that was on her neck. Under the moonlight, the scar on her neck could not be seen anymore, but the autumn night was somewhat cool, the breeze was blowing the sleeves of her dress. Clinging to her clothing, Murong Shu Qing reclined on the pillar beside the pavilion, she wanted to let Lu Yi to prepare a desk and chair tomorrow. Sitting was too tiring. Stretching her waists, Murong Shu Qing lazily called out: “Jing Shui.”

Chapter 35.2

Written Journal (Part 2)

Hearing her call, Jing Shui came to her side, carrying a pot of tea.

Murong Shu Qing asked: “Does this courtyard have a study room?” She brought some books, and had already read a few books in the carriage. If this courtyard had a study room, she could avoid buying some books from Bao (to carry) Yue (moon) Shuzhai (study room) bookstore.

Jing Shui was pouring the tea for Murong Shu Qing, while she answered: “There is, those were the books that Miss Yue collected in the past, they have not been moved all along.”

Murong Shu Qing was curious with that peerless talent’s woman, what kind of books she liked, so she got up and said: “Take me to look at the books.”

“Yes.” Jing Shui took Murong Shu Qing to the first floor wooden cabin, that was located at the most left wing, she made Murong Shu Qing wait at the door way, she entered the room and lit up the candle on the desk, then she welcomed her in.

Following her to enter the inside room, she quietly scanned this study room once, it could not be regarded as big at all, but there were a lot of books. There was a desk that was directly facing the entrance, the pen, ink, paper and ink-stone were on the top of the table, everything needed seemed to be available. The room arrangement was very neat, and it was also very clean.

On both sides of the study room, there were three layers of bookshelf in each side, the majority of the books that were on the bookshelf were poetries, discussion of various topics from the Scholars, the reading notes of some of the history books. She made Jing Shui take the candle to be near the bookshelf, and slightly raised it high. So that she could look at the upper layer’s bookshelf, based on her experience being a librarian, the upper layer and the bottom layer of the bookshelves, one could find some interesting or different books. As expected, she could see several travel notes and some medicinal herbs’s theories on the top layer of the bookshelf.

Murong Shu Qing squatted down to look at the bottom layer of the bookshelf, but she could only see a black shadow that was on the furthest inside of the bookshelf. So she stooped her body down, and took over the candle to check it, it was a rectangle wooden box. She raised her head to ask Jing Shui: “What is this wooden box under here?”

Jing Shui was clearly puzzled over it, when she wiped the bookshelf and tidied up the floor, she had never paid any attentions that there was a wooden box underneath the bookshelf, so she had no alternative but to shake her head and answer: “This slave servant does not know.”

Holding the candle and handing it back to Jing Shui’s hand, in spite of the silk muslin dress that was on her body, she kneeled and sat on the ground. She was reaching her hand to the most bottom of the bookshelf to feel the wooden box, while she smilingly said to Jing Shui: “Jing Shui, you do not need to call yourself, slave servant, when you are by my side, I am not used to it.” The people at the Murong’s family already taught by her that they could not say slave servant in front of her. When she heard Jing Shui said it now, it was truly ear-piercing. This was just how the society taught them about slavery education.

With a low voice, she put the candle on the ground, also kneeled and sat on the ground just like Murong Shu Qing, she anxiously said: “Miss, let this slave ~~ me do it.”

Murong Shu Qing straightened up her waist, kneaded her arm, the box was really heavy, after pulling it for quite a while, she could only pull it out for a little. So she would let Jing Shui pull the other half, she said: “Very heavy, come, we will hold each side and pull it out.”

Jing Shui nodded her head, the two people put a lot of efforts, so they could pull that wooden case out of the bottom layer of the bookshelf. Holding the candle to examine it carefully, the top of the wooden case was covered with layers of dust, so she wiped it clean. Looking that the wood was craved using the entire red sandalwood, the workmanship was very simple, there was no complicated carving designs on the wooden case. But it was very meticulous, the wooden box was not locked, and was only closed, but it was still extremely closed together.

The wooden box was softly opened ~~~~