Chapter 77: Inexplicable

  The little girl in blue sapphire came over to help Jiang Shuangrui take off her cloak: "Sister, if you don't come, Master won't blame you!" As she spoke, she gazed enviously at Jiang Shuangrui's slightly bulging belly.

  Jiang Shuangrui smiled and remained silent as the little girl helped her take off her cloak, then stepped forward and bowed to the man, pointing at Shen Muqing: "Master Yuan, this is my younger sister."

  The little girl wearing a blue gemstone immediately opened her eyes wide and stared at Shen Muqing.

  Yuan Shifu also looked surprised: "Shen Shiming's daughter? The one who followed Min Bieshan to paint peonies?"

  Jiang Shuangrui smiled and nodded, then introduced the old man to Shen Muqing: "This is my former teacher, surnamed Yuan."

  Shen Mu Qing listened to Yuan Shi's tone, seemingly familiar with Shen Zhen and Mr. Min, she hastily bent her knees to pay respects to the elder, respectfully calling out "Master Yuan".

  Jiang Shuangrui pointed at the little girl wearing a blue gem and said: "This is Little Shuang, who is always by Master Yuan's side..." Then he turned around to face the little girl wearing a red gem, who was directing the young maids to carry the embroidered sedan chair: "And this is Big Shuang."

  Dà Shuāng's personality is relatively cheerful, and when she heard Jiǎng Shuāngruì mention her, she smiled at Shěn Mùqīng.

  The woman beside Yuan Shifu... wasn't a maid, nor was she like a concubine... or maybe she was a concubine, but the age difference between them was quite large...

  She couldn't help but take a closer look at the two little girls.

  A little girl smiled brightly and curtsied to her.

  She smiled and nodded at the two little girls with a gentle and elegant demeanor.

  Yuan Shifu silently entered the eastern study. He beckoned to Shen Muqing: "Come, come. I've prepared my brush and ink... Let me see what you've learned from Min Bishan."

  Between words, there is a somewhat disdainful attitude towards Minbie Mountain.

  Shen Mu furrowed his brow. Jiang Shuangrui explained beside him, "My master is just like this. Don't mind it. He has long heard that Mr. Min's poetry, painting, zither, and chess are all exceptional. He has the reputation of being one of the 'Four Gentlemen'. It's just that he had never met you before, so now he must want you to paint a picture for him."

  Or is it someone who doesn't acknowledge Mr. Min's reputation and talent?

  Shen Mu Qing thought for a moment and smiled: "I just followed Mr. Min to learn some superficial skills, how dare I show my ugliness in front of Master Yuan."

  Master Yuan burst out laughing: "The Kyoto Dixiaqian Villa has offered a bet of one to eight, if you can get into the top three in the Mingyue Mountain competition, then don't be humble about it."

  Shen Mu's expression turned solemn and stern, his voice loud as he said: "A tree that stands out in the forest will be cut down! Who is harming Mr. Min?"

  "Interesting, interesting," Master Yuan said after hearing the conversation. He walked out of the eastern wing, narrowing his small eyes as he sized up Shen Muqing from head to toe. "This little girl is interesting... Diemei, this younger sister of yours, is much more fun than your elder sister-in-law!"

  Shen Mu Qing was shocked upon hearing this.

  What kind of person is this Yuan Shifu who also knows Wang Wenxuan?

  Thinking of this, she couldn't help but look towards Jiang Shuangrui.

  Jiang Shuangrui just smiled at her and she walked towards the east room: "You'd better bring out your best skills to paint a picture for Master Yuan, otherwise it will be Mr. Min who loses face."

  Shen Muqing looked at Jiang Shuangrui with a smile all over his face and walked in with a straight back.

  That day, Shen Muqing and Jiang Shuangrui stayed until dusk before bidding farewell to Master Yuan's home.

  Sitting in the sedan chair, Shen Muqing was thinking about Jiang Shuangrui's original intention of taking her to see Yuan Shifu, but no matter how hard she thought, she couldn't guess.

  Yuan Shifu, apart from saying a few words to her at the beginning, spent the rest of the time quietly observing Shen Muqing's painting and occasionally discussing with Jiang Shuangrui in a low voice.

  If in normal times, Shen Muqing would be a little nervous, but after hearing Jiang Shuangrui's words, she had a few parts of resentment, and instead held her pen more steadily than usual, and wrote more naturally fluent.

  She painted a picture of her best peony and chicks.

  But Yuan Shifu did not comment on her painting, instead he was very interested in Shen Muqing: "...... steady and introverted, indeed with the style of a great master."

  Jiang Shuangrui just smiled faintly by her side.

  Shen Muqing couldn't see any negative emotions in that smile.

  Back at the Liang's house, the two went to Xianhe.

  Liang Youhui and the three children were not there, Mrs. Ta was chatting with a distant aunt, the two of them exchanged greetings and pleasantries before withdrawing, then went to Gui Hua.

  On the road, Shen Muqing looked very worried: "Second sister, what if mother asks, what should we say?"

  "Just say it as it is!" Jiang Shuangrui's expression was very calm.

  Anyway, I've already discussed it with you, if anything happens, someone will take responsibility for it.

  Thinking of this, Shen Muqing also had an idea.

  Entering the house, Wang Wenchao was helping Madame Feng remove her makeup.

  Seeing them come in, both of them looked surprised.

  "Where are Shu Xin and Ji Min? Why didn't they come back together?" asked Mrs. Feng.

  After the two men had paid their respects to Madame Feng, Jiang Shuangrui voluntarily told her about today's events.

  Feng listened and had a few words of blame for Shen Muqing: "Why didn't you follow Ji Min to the residence of Princess Chang... Princess Chang is very kind and willing to help people, you should still interact with her more."

  "Yes," Shen Mu replied calmly and respectfully, "It's all because I wasn't considerate as a wife."

  Wang Wenxiu lowered her head to tidy up her collar, but Jiang Shuangrui smiled and said: "Mother, it's the first time my younger sister goes to her maternal grandfather's house, she can't help being a little timid. She follows me like this, also because of her steady and cautious nature..."

  Feng nodded, his expression slightly clearing.

  Shen Muqing cast a grateful glance at Jiang Shuangrui.

  Jiang Shuangrui, however, lowered her eyelids and did not exchange flirtatious glances with Shen Muqing as she had imagined.

  Feng asked Jiang Shuangrui: "Don't you usually go to Yuan's place on the eighth day? Why did you suddenly change it to today?"

  Jiang Shuangrui smiled and said: "I'm not as young as I used to be. After the third day of the new year, I won't plan on going out again."

  Feng was very satisfied with Jiang Shuangrui's response and nodded his head in approval.

  The mother-in-law said a word, and Mrs. Feng let all the daughters-in-law go back: "...... Tomorrow is the third day of the new year, you all have to return to your natal home, get up early, and go rest!"

  Kneeling three times and making a bow in response to "yes", he then came out of his mother-in-law's house.

  "Let me serve mother's dinner first," said Yan immediately. "The three children are still in the house, being taken care of by the wet nurses - I'll go ahead."

  Shuang Rui didn't make a sound.

  Shen Qing was secretly shocked.

  I didn't expect the relationship between Jiang Shuangrui and Wang Wenxiang to be so awkward.

  She hastily bowed to Wang Wenxiu and said with a smile: "Sister-in-law, hurry up, the children are waiting."

  Wang Wen wore a calm and clear smile, then led the maidservants in his house away.

  Shen Muqing smiled brightly at Jiang Shuangrui and said: "Second sister, I'll send you back to the house - Second Uncle isn't home!"

  Under the illumination of the big red lantern on the roof, Jiang Shuangrui's face was as beautiful as if she had applied a layer of rouge, and she smiled slightly at Shen Muqing and nodded her head.

  Shen Muqing carefully supported Jiang Shuangrui's hand and walked out of Gui E.

  Behind the main hall of Gui Huai, there are three courtyards lined up in a row. On the west side is Wang Wenxiu's Changchun Hall, next to it is Jiang Shuangrui's Xiangyun Hall, and after crossing a narrow path, it is Mu Qing's Diecui Hall.

  Jiang Shuangrui stood on the platform of Xiangyun Temple, smiling and looking at Shen Muqing: "I'm here, you can go back!"

  Shen Mu Qing smiled and handed Jiang Shuang Rui over to Yan Hong, saying: "Sister-in-law, please go in quickly, it's windy here, be careful not to catch a cold."

  Jiang Shuangrui leaned against Yan Hong's shoulder, smiling at her with bright eyes that were as sharp as a knife, making Shen Muqing shiver involuntarily.

  "Second sister, what's wrong with you? Is there anywhere uncomfortable?" Shen Mu Qing furrowed his brow and asked worriedly.

  "You're very clever!" Jiang Shuangrui suddenly smiled, as colorful as fireworks on a black night, "and also very patient."

  "What?" Shen Muqing couldn't grasp Jiang Shuangrui's emotions, so she pretended to be deaf and dumb. "Is sister-in-law praising me?" As she spoke, her face cooperated very well, revealing a shy expression.

  Jiang Shuangrui continued to gaze at her, but the sharpness in his eyes gradually faded: "When I was your age, I just thought about playing all day... Now children are getting more and more formidable..." As he spoke, he turned his head to look around Changchun Garden, a hint of melancholy floating on his face: "But what's the use? It's probably that the smarter you are, the more painful it is!"

  Shen Muqing returned to Die Cuiyuan with a belly full of mysteries, and Liang Youhui rushed out shouting, excitedly hugging Shen Muqing: "I thought you'd be back much later!"

  Ying Fan giggled and handed a peach wood hairpin bought from a roadside stall to Liang Youhui: "Third Young Master is thinking of Second Young Lady, specially bought for her."

  Liáng Yòu Huì was delighted and hastily inserted it into her hair: "Does it look good or not?"

  "Today is the second day of the Lunar New Year, everything is closed, nothing good to buy." Shen Muqing has been treating Liang Youhui like a child since she found out about her illness, and even remembers to bring her gifts when going out, "It's made of peach wood, keep it as a memento."

  Liang Youhui smiled and nodded, pushing Shen Muqing into the house: "Hurry up and tell me, you guys went there, did you see Grandpa? Is Wanqing jiejie at home?"

  Shen Mu Qingwei hesitated, smiled and said: "The aunts and cousins in my father's family have all gone to their uncle's house for New Year's greetings - Wanqing, I didn't see her? Who is she?"

  Liang Youhui looked very disappointed: "She is the daughter of my younger uncle, and she used to come to our house to play often!"

  "But how come I've never seen her?" Shen Mu Qing asked with a smile.

  "Haven't you seen Wan Qing's older sister?" Liang Youhui felt very strange, "How could this be?"

  "Perhaps she followed her aunt to pay New Year's greetings?"

  "No!" Liang Youhui said resolutely, "Yan Qing is the daughter of my younger uncle's concubine, so when my younger aunt visits relatives, she never takes her along."

  "However, I'm quite certain that I didn't see her."

  Liáng Yòu Huì frowned: "Wǎn Qīng's elder sister would accompany a few elderly ladies to recite scriptures every morning, and after lunch, she would go to the eldest maternal aunt's house to do needlework or help with accounting... Not seeing her, could it be that she's ill? Or perhaps the Empress Dowager took pity on her having nowhere to go and had her brought to the Prince Consort's residence to keep her company?"

  Shen Mu's expression turned solemn and astonished, his gaze involuntarily shifting towards the Xiangyun Temple in the west.

  There is no one in the room, resend it later.

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  Chapter 77 Unfathomable