CH 12.1

Jiang Ling also wanted to have a look inside, so he squeezed forward enthusiastically. Ming Huazhang who was a master of the pen and sword had a solid foundation; no matter how hard Jiang Ling squeezed, he would not budge, but Ming Huashang was different.

She felt the bump then she lost her balance and was about to fall. Fortunately, a pair of slender hands grabbed her arm in time and pulled her back with a light tug.

Ming Huashang fell into a broad and solid embrace, and a clean and fresh fragrance engulfed the tip of her nose. Ming Huashang subconsciously grabbed the clothes of the person with her fingers, and Ming Huazhang held her shoulders, keeping her in front of him in a protective stance.

Ming Huashang was a little dazed. It was the first time she realized that Ming Huazhang had grown so tall. Ming Huazhang shot a cold glance at Jiang Ling and didn’t say a word, but the warning in his eyes made Jiang Ling freeze instantly.

Ming Huazhang protected Ming Huashang and retreated outside the house, and once they stopped moving, he took away his hands calmly, took a step back, and created a distance, “Taiping Gongzhu doesn’t like outsider interference. We will be fine if we go in, but these maids will certainly be punished. Don’t make trouble for them, let’s go.”

Jiang Ling was reluctant to leave and kept dawdling, wanting to wait for Ming Huazhang to leave before entering himself. Unexpectedly, Ming Huazhang saw through his intentions at a glance. In an effortless manner, he grabbed Jiang Ling by the collar and dragged him straight out of the room.

Jiang Ling only felt himself being lifted by a strong force and shouted several times in a show of bravado, but the hands pressing against the back of his neck were as ruthless as iron tongs. Jiang Ling even felt himself being lifted down the steps. Ming Huazhang said with a blank face, “Second miss, close the door.”

Ming Huashang responded crisply, and closed Wei Zi’s door neatly, even locking it with the copper lock next to it. Ren Yao looked coldly at the figure that was being dragged down the steps like a dead pig, and said, “What an embarrassment.”

What was even more embarrassing was that after Ming Huazhang let go, Jiang Ling staggered before regaining his footing, yet he didn’t dare to flare up. He straightened his collar vigorously, and said fiercely, “Just wait and see what I’ll do to you in the future!”

Ming Huazhang raised his hand and patted his sleeves, still looking cold and distant, not letting the dirt taint his eyes, he didn’t even bother to look at him.

Jiang Ling snorted in dissatisfaction, and said, “This young master didn’t even want to see in the first place, who cares about the house where the ghost lived? Humph! So boring, this young master is going back to walk Baobao.”

Jiang Ling walked away swaggeringly. Ming Huashang looked at the quail who was walking away like a crab, and asked, “Second elder brother, what should we do now?”

The maid was hiding in the shadows, with her eyes downcast, her posture almost telling them “All of you should leave”. Seeing that they wouldn’t get anything out of her with her being like this, Ming Huazhang sighed silently and said, “Let’s go too.”

Ming Huazhang went out first, followed by Ming Huashang; Ren Yao breathed a sigh of relief and quickly followed.

Ming Huazhang wanted to investigate the people Wei Zi had met, but now that everyone in the villa was in danger, no one was willing to open the door to answer. In a blink of an eye, when it was Shenshi1, the sky was getting dark, and they still hadn’t made any discoveries.

In the twilight, Mang Mountain seemed particularly callous, and Ming Huazhang knew that it would be a waste of time to ask any further, so there was no need to squander more. He noticed that Ming Huashang was quietly breathing on her hands. Knowing that she hadn’t eaten well since early morning, and her body must not be able to bear it anymore, he suggested, “We’ve gone to all the places we could, so let’s go back now.”

The atmosphere at Feihong Garden was on edge, needless to say, it was safer to stay together tonight. After the four of them returned to the guest courtyard, they remained silent.

Ming Huashang once again thanked herself for being a glutton. Before going up the mountain, she did not prepare those impressive-looking but useless clothes, jewelry, poems, and songs, but food.

Although the Feihong Garden had enough food stored, people were panicking now, and Taiping Gongzhu was already busy taking care of herself, how could she remember to prepare food for her guests?

Ming Huashang’s food boxes came in handy again. Although the food wasn’t hot, it was preferable because it was clean, safe, and filling. At this juncture, these qualities were more important than anything else.

The four of them all came from noble families, and even Ren Yao, who seemed most casual, had been cultivated in dining etiquette since childhood. The four finished their food quietly and quickly. Seeing that everyone relaxed slightly, Ming Huashang let Zhaocai put away the food boxes, and asked, “Zhaocai, is the snow I asked you to collect this morning still here?” 

“It’s still here.”

“It’s just the perfect time. Go get the flower dew and the red clay stove. The first snow is clean and crisp, which is perfect for brewing tea. Remember to get the lily dew.”

Zhaocai has long been accustomed to these whimsical ideas of Ming Huashang, so she accepted without surprise. Ming Huashang turned around and said excitedly, “It’s not convenient to bring too much heavy luggage up the mountain, so I only brought a small clay stove, which can at least brew some floral tea. My tea brewing skills aren’t good, but it’ll still be great since the snow on Mang Mountain is fresher. Second elder brother, Brother Xie, and Sister Ren, will you do me the honor of having a drink?”

Ren Yao frowned; she seldom interacted with girls but did the ladies in Luoyang and Chang’an bring their own clay stoves when they go out these days? Xie Jichuan asked curiously, “Second younger sister, can you predict the future? Otherwise, why did you bring so many things?”

Ming Huashang grumbled, “If I could predict the future, I wouldn’t have gone up the mountain two days ago.”

Xie Jichuan nodded, deeply convinced, “That’s true, I also regret it a lot now; why didn’t I put face aside and refuse the invitation when I received it?”

Ren Yao couldn’t hold back anymore and asked, “People have died one after another out there, aren’t you all afraid?”