Chapter 257: Xingqing Mansion is back, but people are gone
In fact, Yaoyao and Kunkun do not have a very deep impression of their mother. They grew up in their grandmother's house when they were young, and they spent less than half a year with their parents.
But even so, parents still occupy a very important place in their hearts.
After all, they are family members and they will always miss each other. They are not heartless, unfeeling scum.
Seeing the woman's eyes filled with tears and expectation, the twins felt their hearts touched. They nodded at the same time and walked into the yard with a little joy and trepidation.
The woman wiped her eyes, smiled gently, stretched out her hand, pointed to one person on each side, and led them into the room.
The house as you enter is not very big, it would be more appropriate to call it a Siheyuan.
After entering, the two were taken to the hall to sit down. The old woman was busy running around, pouring water and making tea.
Taking advantage of this opportunity, Yaoyao and Kunkun kept looking around.
This is a very simple and ordinary home, with rammed earth floors, old tables and chairs, and even some chickens in the inner yard, which cluck and smell not very pleasant.
But this is the life of ordinary people, the world of ordinary people.
Both Yaoyao and Kunkun were a little uncomfortable, but they could still bear it.
At this time, a boy who was about younger than the two of them came out of the room yawning. When he saw the two sisters in the hall, he was stunned. After a while, he grabbed his mother who was passing by and asked, "Mom, are those two young ladies the wives you talked about before?"
The woman couldn't help but hit him on the head and said with a smile: "Those are your two sisters."
"Ah...Oh!" The boy's tone changed from surprise to weakness.
He had also heard his parents talk about the two twin sisters, and couldn't help asking , "Why did they come back? Didn't I hear that they were sent to a rich family as concubines?"
The woman's expression was a little embarrassed. She and her husband said in front of their son that the girl was sent to a wealthy man's home, but in fact she was sold to a brothel.
Then I changed this house.
"She should come back to see us." The woman smiled reluctantly, then said, "Go call your father out and tell him that the eldest sister and the younger sister are back."
The boy walked obediently to the side room, and the woman brought the tea set and the kettle to the twins.
She originally wanted to pour tea for her two daughters, but Yaoyao and Kunkun didn't dare to let their elders do this, so they both took over the job, one holding the pot and the other holding the cup.
Then he brought a cup of hot tea to the woman. Yaoyao hesitated for a while before slowly saying, "Mother, please have some tea."
When the woman heard the word "mother", she was overwhelmed with emotions. After taking the teacup, she couldn't help wiping away her tears again.
At this time, a middle-aged man came over, his eyes were half-asleep, but after seeing the twins, he couldn't help but force himself to perk up.
He steadied himself, then strode over. After he sat down, he looked at the twin sisters and said in a lukewarm tone, "Are you two here to visit relatives, or just to see us?"
Unlike his mother's joy, this middle-aged man seemed very distant.
The twin sisters seemed a little afraid of him, but also a little lost. They thought their father should be happy about their arrival.
The woman reached out and shook the man, whispering, "Don't be so cold, it's not easy for them to come back."
Yaoyao lowered her head in disappointment. Kunkun smiled with difficulty, but it looked like a bitter smile: "Dad and Mom, we..."
She wanted to say she would just look at the two of them and then leave, but at this moment the woman suddenly reached out and grabbed each of their hands, saying, "I know what you want to say. Anyway, can you stay for a few days before leaving? Even if you don't come back in the future, your mother can still live with you for a few more days, and she will have no regrets in death."
The man frowned and finally sighed softly, but then he frowned again and said, "You can stay for a few days, just don't cause any trouble for us."
After saying that, he got up and left.
The two sisters watched the man leave the house with stunned expressions, not knowing how to react.
The two of them were feeling a mixture of anticipation and timidity, and their father's attitude, which seemed to welcome but also seemed to be unwelcome, made them feel uneasy and extremely shaken.
The woman continued to hold their hands and comforted , "Don't blame your father. He is a man and doesn't know how to be considerate."
Looking at the woman's kind and gentle smile, the two sisters couldn't help but nodded.
And so, the two of them stayed here for the time being.
Later, the neighbors nearby also learned that the Yu family's daughter who had been 'lost' when she was a child seemed to have walked back on her own.
And they occasionally saw the twin sisters helping to feed the chickens, do laundry, cooking and housework.
After about four days, the two sisters became familiar with their family.
Their younger brother was one year younger than them. As a young man, he was not very scheming, so after getting to know his two sisters for a few days, he became quite affectionate towards them and called them "eldest sister" and "second sister" every day.
The mother became more and more gentle towards them.
My father still looked awkward. It's not like he hated them, but he didn't like them either. He just had a stern face, didn't talk much, and didn't communicate much.
After living here for a few days, the two sisters became more cheerful. In fact, they were also cheerful in Lu Sen's house, but after being "driven" out by Lu Sen to train, they both became more introverted, probably because of some pressure. Now they have returned to the same state as in the cave.
That day, Yaoyao took out three peaches from her system backpack in her room and said, "Father, mother, and my younger brother are not in good health. Let them eat some fruits at home to clear the impurities in their bodies."
In fact, both of their parents are in good health, and their younger brother is young and full of energy.
This so-called "not tough" is compared with the two of them and everyone else in the cave.
"But we can't tell them the functions and origins of these things." Kunkun whispered, "If mom, dad, or my brother goes out to show off, it will easily bring trouble to them."
Yaoyao nodded repeatedly.
After being taught by Lu Sen and Mu Guiying, although they were still young, they had become more thoughtful and mature in considering things, and they knew that a man is innocent unless he is in possession of a treasure.
As the two were talking, they heard noises outside the room. They came from their mother and other guests.
Knowing that there were outsiders coming, Yaoyao put the peach back into the system backpack first, and then the two of them walked out, and saw her mother coming in with a middle-aged woman who was dressed quite luxuriously and had a plump figure.
"Sisters, come here!" The woman beckoned them over and introduced them, "This is the wife of Yue Zhubu from the south of the city, Madam Yue."
"Hello, Madam Yue!"
The two sisters saluted gracefully.
Madam Yue couldn't help but sigh, "Sister, you are so proud. Your two daughters are so pretty and beautiful. They look like well-educated and well-mannered ladies from a noble family. How did you raise them?"
"Thank you Madam Yue for your compliment." The woman smiled happily, and then said to the two sisters, "Madam Yue will have dinner at home today, you two should prepare it and show off your skills."
The twins nodded and went to work in the fire room. One scooped rice and washed vegetables, while the other started a fire and cut wood.
Madam Yue looked at the two people's backs, nodded with satisfaction and said, "Sister, you are an honest person and you really didn't lie to me."
The woman smiled happily.
Meanwhile, in the fire room, the twin sisters felt more and more that something was wrong. After dinner was ready and they were at the table, Mrs. Yue kept looking at them with a more and more satisfied expression.
This made the two sisters even more uneasy.
After dinner, my mother saw Mrs. Yue off.
My younger brother seemed to be a fool. He didn't feel anything. After eating, he threw the bowl away and ran out to play with his friends.
The two sisters were still sitting at the dinner table, feeling uneasy.
The sky gradually darkened, and although it was almost early spring, a light snow began to fall.
At this time, the man of the family came out of the room with an oil lamp, walked up to them and said, "Get up, it's time to go. It will be too late if you don't go now."
After that, he handed the oil lamp to Yaoyao: "It's dark and snowing, it's hard to walk. It's easier to walk with the lamp."
Yaoyao took the oil lamp and burst into tears, while Kunkun, who was standing beside her, had already burst into tears.
The two of them were extremely smart, and with the guidance of Lu Sen and Mu Guiying, their wisdom far surpassed that of ordinary people.
From the conversation and actions of the mother and the guests, they already understood what had happened.
Yaoyao looked straight at her father, bit her lip and asked, "Dad, who was the one who suggested selling the two of us to the brothel?"
The middle-aged man subconsciously looked away and replied, "It's me!"
Yaoyao smiled through her tears: "Thank you, Daddy."
Then she took out three peaches from her backpack, handed them to the man, and said, "Dad, we sisters have met a noble man in the past few years, and we no longer have to worry about food and drink. From now on, my sister and I will not come back. Take care of yourself, and I hope that my brother will become successful soon, get married and have children."
The middle-aged man was a little curious about how the three peaches were taken out, but the farewell atmosphere before him made it impossible for him to think about anything else.
He held three peaches in his hands, standing silently.
Yaoyao, holding an oil lamp and holding her crying sister's hand, walked around her father and headed out the door.
The night in Yangzhou was very cold and dark, with a light snow falling. The bluestone slabs in the alley reflected the night sky, which was pitch black and chilling to the heart, lungs and bones.
But the oil lamp in Yaoyao's hand at least emitted some heat, making the two of them feel a little warm.
After walking for a while, Kunkun cried and said, "Sister, I want to go home, to my master and his wife."
“No way.” Yaoyao was also crying, but she was a little stronger than Kunkun: “We have to work hard and gain experience in the martial arts world. Otherwise, if we disappoint our master again, we will really have no home.”
At this time, Lu Sen and his three wives were cooking wine under the hibiscus tree.
It is also snowing in Hangzhou. Through the protection of the system home, looking at the vast snow scene outside and the snow reflecting the cold light of the crescent moon, I feel a refreshing feeling that everything in the world is cold but I am the only one who is warm.
After drinking for a while, Alice came over on the snow.
In order to be quicker, she did not go through the secret passage, but ran directly up the mountain.
After she entered the system home , she shook off the snow on her body, sat down and took the hot wine that Bilian brought. After drinking it in one gulp, she asked with shining eyes, "Second Mistress, another cup."
"You are like a cow chewing a peony, you don't know the value of it." Zhao Bilian said angrily, "This wine is made with honey, longan, dried peach slices and other tonic herbs produced at home. It is not only good for your health and beauty, but also a rare delicacy. You should savor it slowly, but you drank it in one gulp."
Alijie smiled proudly and said, "But my dear also drinks it in one gulp."
"My lord, that's called the magnanimity of an immortal, nothing more than material things." Zhao Bilian blatantly demonstrated what double standards are: "Can you compare with my lord?"
This is Bilian joking.
She and Alice have a very good relationship, after all, they have similar personalities.
Both of them are straightforward and can get along well.
Alice couldn't help rolling her eyes. She was no longer considering herself an outsider. "My dear, I came here this time because I have some news to tell you."
"Go ahead." Lu Sen put down his wine glass.
"According to the information we have collected, General Di and Marshal Zhe have already captured Xingqing Mansion." Alice paused and said, "We also found Sima Xianggong in Xingqing Mansion, but he only said, 'I am worthy of the court, my ancestors, and the people,' and then he died."
Lu Sen was stunned, looked up at the sky, and seemed a little lonely.
Then his expression returned to its previous state and he said, "Thank you for troubling me this time. It seems that the intelligence organization is functioning very well."
Alice smiled.
In the past, whenever there was something happening in the north, Lu Sen could only know about it through messages sent by the Prince of Runan.
But now, the news from the Prince of Runan channel has not yet arrived, but Alice has already sent the information, which shows that she is indeed running the organization very well.
"You have made great contributions to our cave. What kind of reward do you want?" Lu Sen asked, "Weapons, protective accessories, or skills?"
"My dear, do I have a choice?" Alice asked in surprise.
"certainly."
"Then I want the skills." Alice blinked her eyes vigorously, almost crying with excitement.
Assassins' martial arts are indeed very powerful, but they cannot be compared with those of immortals.
Especially after seeing the Second Mistress's sword-wielding skills and the Snow Girl's magic, she was even more yearning for cultivating immortals.
"Then you have to come to the cave more often in the future." Lu Sen said with a smile: "Without spiritual energy, it is difficult to practice the skills."
"Please rest assured, my dear, I will not neglect either the official business or the cultivation."
Alice excitedly drank another glass of hot wine, then left happily.
After Alijie left, Lu Sen sighed, "Alas, another familiar person left."
Sima Guang is a historical figure that Lu Sen is relatively "familiar" with.
When he was in primary school, he could recite the entire story of Sima Guang Breaking the Jar. In terms of his impression alone, he was even more familiar with it than the famous Su Shi.
Besides, what can we say about Sima Guang? Although he was not very capable and even had some bad intentions, he was indeed a good person.
"I don't know what kind of abuse Mr. Sima suffered in Xingqing Mansion." Pang Meir sighed from the side.
She had met Sima Guang when she was a child and was quite familiar with this elder.
Now that I hear the news of his death, I naturally feel some emotion.
Compared to Lu Sen, the important officials in the court received more detailed information.
Sima Guang was tortured beyond recognition in prison, and the Xixia people wanted to force him to surrender in order to undermine the morale of the Northern Song Dynasty and humiliate the entire country.
But no matter what kind of torture Sima Guang suffered, he always said one thing: Don't even think about making me surrender to the barbarians, bah!
