Chapter 578: Sword at the Waist
Except for Tanchun and Xiren who were leading the group, Lin Daiyu, Xue Baochai and Jia Xichun were the three people behind them, surrounding the uneasy Ping'er.
Seeing this, Sun Shaozong couldn't help but stop, but before he could think about it, he heard a cry from not far in front of him:
“Ah~!”
Sun Shaozong hurriedly moved the object back from the top of the mountain, and saw a little person covering her cherry-like mouth with a handkerchief, looking at him in surprise.
Although Sun Shaozong had not met this girl properly many times, he knew that she was Shi Xiangyun, the daughter of the Shi family.
Yes~
All the hostesses of the villa, apart from the widow Li Wan, were present - but no one knew why they had put on such a scene today.
Sun Shaozong was just beginning to suspect something, when Shi Xiangyun, who was sitting opposite him, finally came to her senses. She quickly twisted the handkerchief between her fingers and bowed awkwardly, "Xiangyun greets the second brother of the Sun family."
But the next second, she straightened up again with full energy, and said with a smile: "This is the first time I'm so close to Brother Sun Er. You really scared me just now."
As she spoke, she pointed the green onion wrapped in a handkerchief toward the top of the mountain and said in a crisp voice, "Brother Sun, come with me quickly. The sisters are waiting for you up there."
The girl would not tolerate any refusal and climbed a few steps. When she heard silence behind her, she turned around and urged silently with her bright big eyes.
Although Sun Shaozong still had some doubts in his heart, he was not afraid of a few little girls.
Besides, Ping'er is there. Given their current relationship, if there was anything wrong, she should have found a way to warn them long ago.
So, at Shi Xiangyun's urging, Sun Shaozong followed her up the stairs to the small pavilion on the top of the mountain.
The ladies in the pavilion had already seen him from above. Jia Tanchun took a few steps back and retreated into the pavilion, while Xiren came forward gracefully and addressed him respectfully as "Mr. Sun".
Without waiting for Sun Shaozong to respond, all the women in the pavilion bowed from a distance and called him "Second Brother Sun".
The pavilion was filled with the chirping of young girls, the tender voices of the young ones, the gentleness of the mature ones, and the calls of "brother" one after another were really heart-warming...
No wonder Jia Baoyu couldn't concentrate on his studies and was surrounded by all kinds of women all day long. Even he himself might not be able to control himself.
Imagining Jia Baoyu's daily life, Sun Shaozong didn't know whether he felt pity or jealousy, but he smiled and returned the greeting with a fist, saying with a smile: "My sisters borrowed Ping'er's name to trick me here. Do you have any advice for me?"
As he spoke, his gaze passed over Tanchun and Yingchun in front of him and fell on Ping'er.
Ping'er was seen holding a handkerchief with her face flushed with shame. She looked increasingly nervous, but she did not show any sign of anxiety. Instead, she seemed to be looking forward to something.
It doesn't seem like a bad thing.
Thinking of this, Sun Shaozong felt more relaxed, and took in the expressions of the women from left to right.
Shi Xiangyun and Jia Tanchun were eager to try, Xue Baochai was a little helpless, and Jia Xichun stared with her eyes wide open, as if she was expecting something, but she was more like playing the role of a passerby.
The most special one is Lin Daiyu. Her pair of watery pupils seem to be able to speak, revealing the four words "dilemma", but no one knows what she is troubled by.
Unexpectedly, the first person to speak was not Shi Xiangyun, but Jia Tanchun. She straightened her back and said in a crisp voice, "We invited Brother Sun here today mainly because we want to discuss Sister Ping'er's matter with him!"
"Ping'er's matter?"
"That's right."
Shi Xiangyun immediately spoke up, "Second Brother Sun also comes here often. We don't need to say much about Sister Ping'er's character. If she didn't have someone in her heart and was extremely disappointed with Second Brother Lian, she would never..."
"Girl Yun!"
Hearing that she was talking nonsense and even mentioned Jia Lian, Xue Baochai, who was standing by, hurriedly stopped her and continued, "We have been together with Sister Ping'er since we were young. We are not sisters but better than sisters. Naturally, we hope that she can find a good home. "
"good."
Jia Tanchun added, "So we sisters discussed it privately and decided to ask Sun Erge for Sister Ping'er."
"It's not an unreasonable request."
Shi Xiangyun was scolded by Baochai, and after a short while she was quiet, she couldn't help but pop up again and said, "With Sister Ping'er's character and appearance, can't she accept the betrothal gift from Brother ?"
As she spoke, she suddenly glanced at Lin Daiyu behind her and said with a smile, "Sister Lin, don't you think this is true?"
Now Sun Shaozong finally understood why Lin Daiyu was in such a dilemma. She and Ping'er had been together since childhood, and she also recognized Ruan Rong as her godsister. So, wasn't she in a dilemma about this matter?
However, when she heard Shi Xiangyun's words to tease her, she had no choice but to agree, "Of course I deserve it!"
Apart from that, there was nothing else to say.
As mentioned before, concubines in those days were divided into different levels. The highest level was the good concubines who were married with a formal marriage proposal. The next level was the lowly concubines who were married without a marriage proposal or an engagement. The lower level were the maids who had no status but were just face-washing maids and foot-warming maids.
Although the status of a concubine after entering the family still depends on whether she is favored or not, a good concubine who is engaged and matched with a matchmaker will always have a stronger position.
That's why today, the girls wanted to ask for a betrothal gift on behalf of Ping'er.
Seeing that all the girls were staring at him, expecting his response, Sun Shaozong couldn't help but laugh.
He took out an object from his sleeve pouch and showed it to everyone, saying, "Fortunately I had prepared the token long ago, otherwise it would seem that I had not done it on purpose under your pressure."
The girls saw something shiny and golden in his hand, but they couldn't see it clearly. Just as they were about to ask for clarification, Shi Xiangyun stepped forward, grabbed it in her hand, played with it carefully for a while, and suddenly exclaimed in surprise: "Wow, this really looks like Sister Ping'er!"
The other girls behind her couldn't help stretching their necks when they saw her startled. Xue Baochai even scolded her with a smile, "You are just staring at it yourself. Why don't you give it to Ping'er?"
Shi Xiangyun suddenly realized what was going on, and hurriedly turned back to the pavilion, stuffed the thing into Ping'er's hand, and said jokingly, "Sister Ping'er, please take it carefully, don't let anyone snatch it away."
Ping'er had actually already figured out that the object was the pocket watch that Sun Shaozong had specially ordered for her, but when Shi Xiangyun put it in her hand, the heavy touch still made her breath slow.
He tremblingly opened the pure gold case, and the clicking hands and the lifelike head relief on the inside immediately caught the girls' eyes.
Everyone couldn't help but marvel in admiration, especially Jia Xichun, who had been a bystander the whole time. She wished she could stick her little head in to take a closer look.
She even murmured, "This embroidery is truly unique, but I wonder which craftsman did it?"
"I drew it myself."
Sun Shaozong spread his hands and said, "Otherwise, the craftsman has never seen Ping'er, how could he have portrayed her so vividly?"
“It’s actually…”
"Okay!"
Xichun was about to ask more, but Shi Xiangyun interrupted her and said jokingly, "We have been worrying for nothing, and why are we still here getting in the way?"
As he said this, he pulled Xichun and walked down the mountain.
Lin Daiyu, Xue Baochai, Tanchun, Xiren and others followed closely behind.
When Lin Daiyu passed by Sun Shaozong, she seemed to be hesitant to speak, perhaps because she was indignant at his philandering and wanted to stand up for Ruan Rong.
But because Ping'er was right beside her, she couldn't say it out loud. She just bit her rosy lips and lowered her head and left.
Xue Baochai apologized and then left hand in hand with Xiren.
In the blink of an eye, Sun Shaozong and Ping'er were the only ones left inside and outside the small pavilion on the top of the mountain, facing each other from a distance.
Sun Shaozong grinned and stretched out his two strong arms. Ping'er hesitated shyly for a while, and then took a few steps forward awkwardly, but he had already walked up to her and hugged her in his arms.
Two flowers bloom, each showing its own beauty.
The girls chattered as they reached the foot of the mountain. Suddenly, two people appeared from the side and rushed forward to ask, "What's going on up there? Did Sun Erlang agree?"
Then Xue Baochai said, "Sister-in-law, you are really worrying for nothing this time. Lord Sun is really a man who knows how to cherish people. He even prepared a token of love long ago."
It turned out that the people who came to greet them were none other than Li Wan and Su Yun, the master and servant.
The reason why the girls wanted to help Ping'er find a marriage proposal this time was Li Wan's idea - but she was a widow after all, so it was not convenient for her to come out with the other girls.
At this time, Xue Baochai and the others talked one after another, and they told her clearly what happened on the top of the mountain, and asked in detail about the appearance of the pocket watch.
Li Wan subconsciously looked up at the top of the mountain. Although she didn't see anything, she was reluctant to look away for a long time.
Although the girls were not stupid, they were still young and had only a vague understanding of the relationship between men and women.
Among them, only Xue Baochai and Xiren vaguely guessed that she was putting others' thoughts into her own mind and placing her own yearning for a happy ending on Ping'er.
Xue Baochai was afraid that if she continued like this for too long, it would cause unnecessary associations among others, so she hurried forward and pushed her with a mocking smile, saying, "We have made a fool of ourselves in front of outsiders, but we can't just let it go like this - tonight, sister-in-law has to host the poetry club!"
Li Wan came to her senses and agreed readily. Then all the beauties went to Daoxiang Village, leaving only Xiren and Suyun to guard the foot of the mountain, so that they could escort Sun Shaozong out for Ping'er when the time came.
Xiren is fine, after all Ping'er's matter has been settled. Baoyu is out having fun today, so what's the point of him just sitting there doing nothing?
Suyun, however, felt a little restless and kept looking up towards the top of the mountain.
But for safety reasons, a half-person-high stone wall was built on the top of the mountain. At the foot of the mountain, nothing can be seen except the red square roof.
Suyun couldn't help but turn around and ask Xiren, "Sister, how long do you think we should wait here for this to end?"
Seeing her like this, Xiren couldn't help but laugh and said, "You are so impatient, it seems as if you are the one who is going to marry."
Suyun actually wished this were the case, but unfortunately there was no such opportunity.
Su Yun was annoyed because her heart was pierced. She said sarcastically, "Sister is an experienced person. She knows everything about this matter. Naturally, she is not in a hurry. But I don't know how long it will take for this man and woman to feel relieved after being together."
"ah!"
Xiren's face immediately turned red, and she stretched out her hand to hit him, saying, "You little bitch, how dare you say such shameless words?!"
Suyun also realized that she had said something wrong, so she quickly put on a smiling face and dodged backwards to beg for mercy.
As the two were laughing and joking, they suddenly saw a person coming towards them with big sleeves waving. It turned out to be a beautiful nun in a patchwork robe.
The two of them didn't bother to bicker, and hurried forward to greet Miaoyu.
Miaoyu put her hands together and said, "Have you two seen Lord Sun? I heard that he was brought here by someone."
Looking for Lord Sun?
Xiren and Suyun exchanged glances and felt a little puzzled, but Miaoyu was just a guest in the mansion, so it was not for them to ask the truth.
So she had to briefly tell him that Sun Shaozong was meeting Ping'er on the top of the mountain and it was inconvenient to disturb them at this time.
Miaoyu was not in a hurry and said immediately: "Even so, I will wait here for a while."
Having said this, he stood silently by the roadside.
Her silence made Xiren and Suyun dare not speak anymore.
So the three of them stood like wooden stakes at the foot of the mountain for about two incense sticks' time, and finally they saw Sun Shaozong coming down the mountain, but there was no sign of Ping'er - probably he was either too ashamed to see people or it was inconvenient for him to see people.
"Amitabha."
Miaoyu chanted Buddhist mantras and walked quickly to greet them, which made Sun Shaozong stunned. He thought to himself that he hadn't figured out a perfect plan yet, so why did this nun come to him first?
"Lord Sun."
Miaoyu said solemnly, "In the past, you always said that you wanted to avoid suspicion, so you couldn't interfere in Wei Tongpan's case, but now you are about to hand over your job in Shuntian Prefecture, so naturally..."
“Wait, wait!”
This nun is really persistent. She is still obsessed with helping Wei Ruolan clear her name.
Sun Shaozong was speechless and said, "Although I am about to resign from my post as governor of Shuntian Prefecture, I will also be leaving the capital to quell the rebellion soon. How can I find the time to redress the grievances for Wei Ruolan?"
"It is not necessary to investigate in detail. You may as well go and visit Master Wei first and listen to his detailed account..."
"I don't think that's necessary."
Sun Shaozong interrupted him and said, "Even if I have some skills in solving cases, how can I be as good as the Dali Temple officials who have worked so hard for months in just a few moments?"
Without waiting for Miaoyu to say anything else, he could not help but question, "Didn't you say last time that you didn't have that kind of feelings for Wei Ruolan? Why is it like this..."
"Master Wei has done me a favor."
Miaoyu said this with absolute certainty, and then added: "If one day, you are imprisoned, Miaoyu will also do her best to run for you."
"It's better not to have that day."
Sun Shaozong said, "I really can't help you with this matter. Miss Miaoyu, please seek help from someone else."
As he said this, he winked at Chong Suyun, indicating her to stop Miaoyu, then he quickly bowed and left.
Miaoyu's beauty had previously been somewhat attractive to Sun Shaozong, but now...
Under her patchwork clothes, there really is a "sharp sword" hidden that can kill a foolish lady!
