Chapter 43 The Visitors

However, the next day, Song Zaishui tumbled while sitting on the couch for dinner. Although she fell on the couch and wasn’t hurt, her sayings that she suddenly felt her knee lack strength, and did not have enough time to adjust the posture still greatly frightened Wei Changfeng. He hurriedly asked Wei Qing to come back to the city again, told Madam Song and asked Dr. Ji to come again.

This time, Madam Song also came. Under her solemn gaze, Dr. Ji felt the pulse of Song Zaishui for a full 15 minutes and then asked indefinitely, “Can Miss Song describe how you felt when you fell?”

“It was just like yesterday.” Across the curtain, Song Zaishui whispered softly, “I was feeling fine yet suddenly lost my strength.”

Madam Song asked nervously, “How is it?”

“…” Dr. Ji held his moustache and thought for a while before he said, “Madam, Miss Song’s pulse is very stable, so there is nothing wrong with her physical conditions.”

“Then how could my niece just…?” Madam Song was not satisfied with this answer.

Dr. Ji mused, “In my opinion, it is still because the congestion has not dissolved yet.”

That was exactly what he said yesterday. He also said that Song Zaishui would be fine after two days. Now it was only one day later, and it would be reasonable that Song Zaishui hadn’t recovered yet. However, yesterday, only Wei Changfeng and Granny Shi were asking here, but today it was Madam Song who came to ask personally. Although Dr. Ji often took the pulse for Wei Huan, the Family Head of the Wei Family, he dared not slight the Madam of the Wei Family, so he explained, “Miss Song has a noble identity. Although the Little Bamboo Hill is not very high, the bamboo forest is dense. And if you want to climb the mountain, you have to walk. The hillside is gentle yet it would take a while to climb to the top. People, who usually live in the urban area and seldom climb the hill, will inevitably have some soreness. In severe cases, there will also be such a sudden loss of strength. Generally speaking, they will be fine after two days’ rest.”

Dr. Ji’s words also sounded reasonable. Song Zaishui could be regarded as a model for the young ladies, so her physical abilities were inevitably weaker like most young ladies who never left the house because they had been confined to the boudoir for many years. Even if the Little Bamboo Hill had not been very high, with the domiciliary living style of Song Zaishui, it would have been reasonable for her to feel sore all over one night after climbing the hill.

Madam Song, who was in charge of the family, would also feel that she was about to fall when she was tired during the Spring Festival.

In addition to this, Song Zaishui also bruised her knees. Two things adding together, no wonder she could neither stably stand nor sit.

Nevertheless, according to Dr. Ji’s words, this situation would only be temporary.

Madam Song breathed a sigh of relief and proposed to take Song Zaishui back first, while Wei Changying, who was advised to rest for two or three days, would be escorted back by Wei Changfeng two days later.

—After all, Madam Song was still worried about her niece. On one hand, she was afraid that Song Zaishui continued to take the matter too hard. On the other hand, she felt that it was not appropriate to arrange a doctor to live in the mountain, and it was convenient for Song Zaishui to see a doctor to come when she returned to Wei Family.

But Song Zaishui insisted on staying on the Little Bamboo Hill to accompany her cousin. She was very determined. Madam Song was also worried about the unfinished business in the mansion. Therefore, when she couldn’t persuade her, she had no choice but to leave.

Song Zaishui and Wei Changying were very satisfied with this development, so they discussed a lot about what to do on the third day privately.

This evening, the sound of the wind rolled over the Little Bamboo Hill. Shortly afterwards, the sky suddenly darkened, and the only thing that could be heard was the crackling sound. After a few seconds, the sound outside turned into patters.

It was raining.

The damp mountain breeze poured in from the half-open window, which made the Wei Changying who was on the couch feel relaxed and happy, “This is interesting place to live once in a while.”

This time, it was Song Zaishui who made fun of her, “Two days ago, I don’t know who thought this place was bad, saying that this was just an ordinary hut.”

One day after the injury, Jiang Zheng personally sent the medicinal wine here, and Wei Changying could bear the pain so that she asked the maidservant to use the warm handkerchief to massage for her per half an hour. It was good for her to practice martial arts for 12 years regardless of the weather. Her physical conditions were very strong, which Song Zaishui’s physical conditions could never compare with. By this time, she could already sit up and walk a bit with help from the maidservant. For this reason, Wei Changying was in a good mood and said, “I was not wrong! The hut is indeed ordinary, but the mountain breeze just now is really pleasant.”

“Listen to the sound of wind in the bamboo forest and smell the rain late at night, all of which are extremely elegant and poetic.” Song Zaishui sipped her mouth and smiled, “But now I don’t want to do the elegant thing like reciting poetry, but I’d like to have a pot of wine to drink a bit.”

Wei Changying understood that Song Zaishui had ulterior motives. She felt hopeful and overjoyed to know that she had possibilities to successfully break the pledge of marriage so that she deliberately used the rain as an excuse. She held Lvfang’s hand and walked slowly along the couch, saying, “Then Cousin is going to be disappointed. Now that we are all hurt and not at home, Changfeng will definitely not agree with it.”

Song Zaishui was about to say something, while she heard Wei Changying hummed and said hurriedly, “Help me back to the couch!” Lvfang and Lvchi dared not snub. She had walked along the couch before, and it would take her two steps back to the couch. Wei Changying sat down trembling. Her forehead was all covered with cold sweat, and her face was a little pale.

“Your injuries haven’t been recovered yet, so you’d better lie down!” Song Zaishui was worried to see that and hurriedly advised.

Wei Changying frowned, closed her eyes and clenched her fists, as if to endure something. She took a while to open her eyes. By this time, sweat had slipped down her cheeks, and she took the handkerchief from Lvfang and wiped a bit. “It doesn’t matter, as long as the bones are not hurt. The pain from skin and flesh will be fine after I suffer through it.”

“Fortunately, since you can get up, we can go back home tomorrow.” Song Zaishui mused, “After I go back, I should also take my leave.”

Wei Changying was stunned and immediately realized that Song Zaishui was hoping to encumber her as little as possible so that she wanted to hit the road before the people sent by Song Yuwang to arrive. However, if Song Zaishui’s wishes were to be achieved, she must visit the capital. So Wei Changying only reminded her, “Although Dr. Ji is a doctor trusted by grandfather, he is not a royal doctor after all. Anyhow, the capital is the place where famous doctors gather, right?”

“I know.” Song Zaishui cracked a smile. This was exactly the excuse she intended to use to take a leave after returning to the Wei Family.

Everyone went to bed early that night because they planned to go back to the mansion tomorrow.

In the middle of the night, they seemed to hear someone making noise outside, but it soon became silent. Wei Changying asked muddledly, and Xinli came in and said it was some small things that Wei Changfeng has already dealt with it. Wei Changying stopped worrying and went back to sleep.

At dawn, the only thing that could be heard was the sound of ticking outside the house. And it could not be told whether the rain had stopped or got lighter so that the sound of water dripping from the leaf tip was over the sound of the rain.

The fragrance of bamboo leaves was all over the hill so that even in the inner room, people still felt refreshing.

After a night’s rest, Wei Changying got up and felt a little better. Surprisingly, she walked slowly from the bedside to the hall with the help of the maidservants after grooming.

Because it was hurried on the first night, Wei Changfeng put up a short couch in the main hall to rough through the night. On the next day, the Wei Family sent equipment here, and Wei Changfeng went to live in the study. At the moment, the door of the study was still closed. It was probably because Wei Changfeng was young and had been stayed up late these days to manage different matters.

Xinli had already led the people to clean up in the hall. Seeing that Wei Changying came in, she was about to knock on the door of the study while she greeted her.

Wei Changying shook her head at them and whispered, “Let Changfeng sleep more. I’ll try to take a few more steps.”

Xinli also whispered, “Yes.”

The hut was small and stuffed with the appliances sent by the mansion in the past two days, so there was really not much room for Wei Changying to walk around. She took a few steps and felt that she had enough strength so that she looked outside the door.

Because it had been raining all night, the originally flat courtyard was soaked in water. Although it looked flat, it would still be muddy to step on it.

Wei Changying asked someone to get the clogs to change. Knowing that she was going out for a walk, Xinli said, “The guards are all outside. First Miss, Do you want to wear a curtained hat?”

Naturally, she had to wear it.

Lvbin took another wide-sleeved robe to put it on for her. This garnet embroidered robe with twisted magnolia was made of the same material as the upper outer garment when she went to see Wei Zhenghong at the Leyi Yard last time. According to Madam Song, it should be autumn when Wei Changying was about to wear this robe so that the climate was cool and the trees were withered. Therefore, and the garnet red should not be as eye-catching as it was in the middle of summer.

Because Madam Song was worried that the hut was near the top of Little Bamboo Hill and in the middle of the bamboo forest that it would be cold in the morning and evening, she asked people to send some sets of autumn clothes on purpose to prevent them from feeling too cold with only summer clothes.

Now it was two or three days away from the Limit of Heat. After a night of rain and with the refreshing breath from the bamboo forest, where was any trace of summer in this Little Bamboo Hill? Only by looking at the glittering drops of water on the green leaf tips outside, people would feel the coolness from the heart. Naturally, Lvbin would worry that Wei Changying could catch a cold from the mountain breeze when she went out.

The consideration of Lvbin was very reasonable. Wei Changying just stepped out the door, and a sudden gust of mountain breeze had filled her sleeves. The cool and moist wind went in from the bottom of her clothes.

She looked up at the top of her head, and it happened that a string of drops of water from the eaves had not been blown down by the wind, which would have hit her on the face but for the veil hanging from the curtained hat. Even so, it still made Lvfang and others to turn their heads, cover their mouths and snicker.

“Keep your voice down!” Wei Changying frowned and warned, “Cousin and Changfeng are still sleeping. Don’t disturb them!”

Lvfang and others hurriedly regained the severe countenance and dared not make a sound.

Since she didn’t want to disturb her cousin and brother, Wei Changying would not be able to walk in the courtyard. She thought about it and decided to go to the stream.

…Walking around that vegetable garden twice, Wei Changying spent almost all her time and strength. Moreover, on the west side of the hut, there was a gravel path that led to the stream, which was presumably to facilitate the collection of water on rainy days.

With the helping hands of Lvfang and Lvchi on both sides, and Lvyi held a dark red silk umbrella for Wei Changying, the party walked slowly to the bank of the stream. It had rained all night so that now the stream was inevitably muddy. There were fish leaping out of the stream sometimes, and there were many earthworms, shrimps and crabs on the bank of the stream.

Such a pastoral scene made people feel relaxed and happy.

After walking for a while, Wei Changying simply stood still and half lifted her veil. She faced the wind and wantonly enjoyed the cozy scene of the emerald-green mountain after the rain.

Lvfang and other people also felt that it was already a kind of enjoyment to do nothing and stand by the stream like this in such an early morning. They were all silent.

Wei Changying did not know how long had passed when the sound of cough coming from not far away surprised her. She subconsciously put down her veil and turned back to look at it.

She saw that on the mountain path, Wei Qing was still dressed in green cloth and held a Kora. He was accompanying two people to walk up the steps.

Although Wei Qing did not squint when Wei Changying looked towards him, Wei Changying knew that the cough must have been Wei Qing who found her lifting the veil and deliberately reminded her.

This made Wei Changying a little curious. She could not help but look at the two people accompanied by Wei Qing….

In this circumstance, except the ones like Madam Song, it could only be the guards of the Wei Family who could come up the mountain at this moment. There was no need for Wei Changying to avoid meeting the first type of people, and for the latter type, Wei Qing did not need to use such a circuitous way. He should just directly speak out and come to greet her together with the two people.

And why would the guards rush in so early?

Who were these two people?