Chapter 1361: Chapter 440: Cai Qiu Sword Saint, A Confused Naturalization, Miss Mengya_5
Su Xingâer directly corrected her eldest brother, sternly saying, "If it werenât for meeting Lord Hong, we wouldnât even have entered the ranks of noble or lowly status. We would have likely died on the Bone-Eroding Path."
"Yes, I was being foolish."
Su Jingâs face immediately showed a look of clarity, and he nodded heavily.
"Young masters, young lady, Housekeeper Zhou sent a message saying that the Lord will be returning soon. We need to go to the mansionâs entrance to welcome him."
Su Jing was just about to speak when the voice of a maid suddenly came from the doorway.
The four siblings didnât hesitate at all, immediately getting up and heading toward the main door.
When the master of the house returns, everyone must go to the door to welcome him, which is the noble etiquette of Cai Qiu, as the maid had just explained to the four of them.
Just like in the afternoon when they were welcomed, the entire household of over two hundred people quickly gathered at the entrance, but this time it was the four siblings leading instead of Zhou Qing.
Since entering the city, the four siblings hadnât seen Xia Hong for nearly half a day. Feeling empty inside, knowing he was about to return, they naturally looked eagerly toward the city center.
Jingle jingle...
Soon, a crisp and pleasant ringing sound was heard first.
Then, a large human-powered carriage, ten meters long and eight meters wide, drawn by thirty porters in green uniforms, slowly moved from the cityâs center along the main street toward the crowd.
The carriage was entirely purple, and the materials used were clearly valuable; the roof was covered with an unknown red Beast Fur, providing protection from snow and rain while looking warm and elegant; each side had a half-meter-wide small window adorned with pink gauze curtains; the eaves were hung with a circle of emerald wind chimes, ringing crisply and pleasantly as the carriage moved...
"A carriage eight meters wide, equipped with thirty porters, a regulation only for princely status!"
Upon seeing the carriage, the four of them instantly recalled the etiquette of noble status mentioned by the maids in the afternoon, their expressions slightly tensing.
Su Xingâer seemed to sense something, and her expression immediately darkened.
Zhou Qing and the two hundred other servants reacted dramatically, kneeling from fifty meters away and lowering their heads.
"Young master, young lady, thatâs the carriage of Miss Mengya, the city lordâs daughter. You, as people of noble status, donât need to kneel, but when she arrives, you must bow and lower your heads, never directly look."
Evidently, Zhou Qing was a very competent housekeeper, worrying that Su Jing and the others, with their low status, might forget the etiquette taught in the afternoon, and thus reminded them.
The four of them immediately understood and quickly bowed their heads.
Jingle jingle...
As the sound of the wind chime drew closer and then stopped abruptly, the four knew the carriage had arrived. Though they had their heads lowered and couldnât see anything, they still felt a bit tense.
"Brother Hong, you just promised to take me to the White Phoenix Forest next month to catch rabbit fur. Mengya is counting on it, so donât go back on your word..."
The carriage paused for two breaths, then a charming and sultry female voice emerged.
The bodies of Su Jingâs three brothers visibly tensed a little;
As for Su Xingâer, who had her head down, she couldnât help but roll her eyes and pout her lips upon hearing the voice.
"Hahaha, no problem, itâs just the White Phoenix Forest. I happen to be staying in Qinghua City for a while, so before we set out next month, just come find me."
Then, Xia Hongâs voice, slightly drunk, came from within the carriage, evidently in a very good mood, and he even patted his chest heartily as he spoke.
"Thatâs great! Mengya thanks Brother Hong first."
"My meeting with Uncle Yunzhou was a great match; this little favor is nothing, no need to be courteous. Eh, why has the carriage stopped, are we there already?"
"Weâve arrived! If it werenât so late, Mengya really would like to stay with Brother Hong a while longer and hear more about the matters in the Great Qin Feudal Town!"
"No need to rush, Miss Mengya. Thereâs plenty of time ahead..."
After Xia Hong said this, a few whispers came from inside the carriage, then a maid slowly drew the curtain aside.
Two porters were already crouching by the carriage; Xia Hong, in a drunken state, stepped directly onto the porterâs back and stepped down.
Seeing Xia Hong looking as if he might fall at any moment, the four of them rushed forward to support him.
With flushed cheeks, Xia Hong turned to the carriage, smiling and waving, "Miss Mengya, when youâre free, how about we have a few drinks alone?"
"Hehehe, we can only do that if my father agrees. Brother Hong, go home and rest early! Mengya will visit you another day, goodbye."
As the female voice fell, the carriage slowly turned, obviously intending to return.
"Goodbye, goodbye, take care, Miss Mengya!"
Listening to their flirty exchanges for so long, Su Xingâer, though keeping her head down, had already pouted her lips sky high. Noticing the carriage seemingly about to leave, she couldnât resist stealthily lifting her head for a peek.
By chance, the maid on the carriage had not yet completely drawn down the curtain at that moment.
Thus, Su Xingâer ended up locking eyes with Cai Mengya behind the curtain.
The voice matched the person, Cai Mengyaâs eyes were just like her voice â a pair of long, lively fox-like eyes, their tails slightly curving; within her charming eyes seemed to be a watery glow, shifting fluidly, appearing both drunk and enchanting to the bone.
"Such a beautiful little girl..."
The eye contact lasted only a moment, and as the curtain fell, the carriage began to move slowly. Cai Mengya paused momentarily, then elegantly praised her.
Tsk...
Of course, Su Xingâer didnât dare to make a sound. After making eye contact, she immediately lowered her head again, rolling her eyes upon hearing Cai Mengyaâs compliment.
"Alright, letâs return to the estate!"
The drunk Xia Hong, upon hearing Cai Mengyaâs compliment, first turned to look at Su Xingâer before waving a hand to Zhou Qing and the two hundred people kneeling on the ground, signaling them to rise and return.
Soon, Xia Hong led Su Jing and the four back to the main building. After he took the main seat, he directly waved off Zhou Qing and the other servants.
The four thought he was not accustomed to being cared for, bringing hot water and preparing towels, clearly intending to help him sober up.
Hoo...
Seeing the four busily attending to him, Xia Hong breathed out gently, his initially flushed face restored to normal in an instant. He smiled, asking them, "Youâve all changed your clothes. In this short time, how has life been treating you?"
The four turned their heads and noticed that there wasnât the slightest hint of drunkenness on Xia Hongâs face. They immediately realized that he had been pretending earlier.
"Hahaha, I knew it, Lord Hong has a family, surely heâs not that lecherous, he was just pretending to deceive Cai Mengya, right?"
Su Xingâer was the happiest, as if Xia Hongâs image in her heart had been restored, and she couldnât help but clap her hands.
Xia Hong shook his head, looking at Su Xingâer with a helpless expression, "That Cai Mengya holds grudges; she will surely remember that glance you gave. I was present today, so naturally, she wouldnât dare to act out. In the future, be cautious when outside!"
Upon hearing Xia Hongâs words, Su Xingâer froze for a moment, then gripped the hem of her clothes with guilt, saying, "Lord Hong, Iâm sorry. Xingâer has caused trouble for you..."
"How is that trouble; I told you to be cautious to protect yourself, it has nothing to do with me..."
Xia Hong waved his hand, his eyes showing a touch of self-confidence, "In Qinghua City, thereâs no one who can threaten me, Iâm here to stay for a while."
After speaking, he took out a yellow package from his clothes, pulling out several small porcelain bottles, his eyes showing a hint of excitement.
"Treasure Pavilion, such a place! Just in this little Qinghua City, there are such good things, not to mention the County City, and even more so the Treasure Pavilion at the top Feudal Town, wonât there be even more treasures? Itâs the right place, truly the right place..."
Xia Hongâs eyes were filled with eagerness as he slowly opened the porcelain bottles.