Not long after the battle of Tianmen, the first snow on Jiuyao Mountain arrived.
This year, the winter snow fell extremely thickly. For three consecutive days, the mountain was covered with heavy snow.
In the early morning, Ah Sheng went out to sweep the snow. He had just shoveled the snow away from the courtyard gate when he suddenly saw a group of people walking along the path against the wind and snow.
He looked around for a moment, put down the broom and went into the house.
"What's wrong?" Hui Niang asked as she was scrubbing.
A Sheng said, "A lot of people came outside."
"so many people?"
Just as he was talking, someone knocked on the courtyard door: "Excuse me, does Zhang Zhangyuan live here?"
The two looked along the voice, but saw a woman standing outside the door. This woman was probably in her thirties, with a dignified appearance and a slight smile on her lips. The clothing on the body is exquisite, but the style is extremely restrained.
Behind her was a group of men and women, at least a dozen or so—sure enough, a lot of people.
Hui Niang walked over: "This eldest sister, this is the residence of Liu Zhangyuan, I don't know you..."
The woman lowered her body and saluted elegantly, and said: "My family is the steward of Qiongyu Palace. My surname is Yao, and everyone else calls her Lady Yao."
Hui Niang froze, her face turned ugly: "Qiongyu Palace?"
Qiongyu Palace is the residence of the head. Since Lu Qingyi's death, although Hui Niang didn't say anything, she always held grudges in her heart. Qiongyu Palace, that is where the enemy lives.
Aunt Yao didn't seem to see her face, she still smiled and said: "This elder sister is Hui Niang, right? The madam told me, all these years, I have thanked you for taking care of the eldest lady. Neither the head nor the madam will take credit for this forgot."
Hui Niang was taken aback by what she said, and didn't react for a while.
"Aunt Hui." A voice came from behind.
Aunt Yao turned her head to look.
I don't know when there stood a young girl in white clothes and black hair. Against the backdrop of snow, she looked like an ice sculpture.
Aunt Yao's heart skipped a beat. That woman from the East, I heard that she is very weak, how could she give birth to a daughter who looks like this
Hui Niang turned her head and saw Lu Mingshu standing in the corridor, she hurriedly walked over: "Miss, it's so cold, why did you come out?"
Lu Mingshu shook his head lightly at her: "It's fine."
While speaking, Aunt Yao came over and bowed down, "I have seen the eldest lady."
Lu Mingshu stood in front of the corridor without saying a word, just looking down at her like that.
Aunt Yao was still smiling at first, with a calm demeanor, but when the cold wind blew, her smile froze when she was standing.
"Miss, this servant is here on Madam's order to buy you something for the winter."
Lu Mingshu said lightly: "I don't lack anything here, please go back."
"Miss!" Seeing her turn around, Aunt Yao hurriedly said, "You should do your filial piety for Zhangyuan Liu. Jiuyao Mountain is bitterly cold in winter, and it is very hard to endure without the skills to protect yourself."
Lu Mingshu paused.
Aunt Yao took advantage of the victory and pursued: "Madam knows that you are filial to Zhangyuan Liu, so you specially added some winter clothes to Zhangyuan Liu."
After a while, she finally nodded: "Thank you."
Aunt Yao breathed a sigh of relief, turned her head and waved: "What are you still doing in a daze? Send it in quickly."
As soon as the things were carried into the small courtyard, the men and women moved swiftly, and within a short while, they settled what should be placed.
Fresh ingredients, high-quality charcoal fire, medicinal herbs for body repair, thick bedding, warm winter clothes... All the utensils up and down the house have been replaced, the coarse pottery has been replaced with fine porcelain, and wood has been replaced with gold and jade. The rough courtyard has become refined and elegant.
Aunt Yao stood in front of Lu Mingshu and reported: "Madam said, if there is anything you need, just ask someone to come to Qiongyu Palace and tell me. You are inconvenient now, these two girls will serve by your side."
Just as she signaled the two servant girls to salute, Lu Mingshu said, "You can keep things, but you can take them away."
Just as Aunt Yao was about to open her mouth, she raised her hand: "You don't need to talk about the scene in front of me. You and I know what's going on here. It's boring to pretend too much."
Aunt Yao stopped, swallowed those words, hesitated for a moment, and said: "I didn't finish the matter well, I'm afraid my wife will punish you when I go back..."
"What does it have to do with me being punished?" Lu Mingshu said coldly.
Aunt Yao: "..."
"When you're done, go back. Bixi Valley is used to being deserted. It's too noisy to keep so many people."
Aunt Yao silently swallowed a mouthful of blood, and bowed her head in salute: "Your servant will leave."
Lu Mingshu didn't say a word, just watched the group of them leave and left with the empty box.
Everyone left, Hui Niang looked worried: "Miss, they are..."
Lu Mingshu picked up a pack of medicinal materials, and showed a mocking smile: "Don't worry, you can use the things with peace of mind, and there won't be any trouble." She stood up, "Eating cabbage gangue every day is enough. Aunt Hui, let's make a good meal at noon!"
When Hui Niang heard this, she smiled, "Okay."
Lu Mingshu walked to the door of the main room, knocked on the door: "Master?"
"Come in." Liu Jizhen's voice came from inside.
She pushed open the door and saw Liu Jizhen sitting at the table, writing slowly with a pen.
Lu Mingshu walked over and turned over the charcoal stove to make the charcoal fire burn more vigorously.
"Those people are gone?"
"Yes." She sat down, "Master, I accept those things."
Liu Jizhen didn't even raise his head: "It's good that you know what's going on in your heart."
Lu Mingshu was silent for a moment, and said: "Although I don't know what the head lady wants to do, but I think, with a sword in hand, why be afraid of conspiracy? No matter what she wants to do, as long as I have the strength, I don't need to be afraid of her."
Liu Jizhen put down his pen, and while warming his hands, he said slowly: "Your stepmother has a problem. She has poor bones and low force, so she likes to use tricks to solve problems. When her cultivation base is low, Her method is very effective, but when it reaches a certain level, it cannot be shaken by conspiracy."
"Hmm." Lu Mingshu also thought the same way, "The most important thing for me now is to restore my skills, and everything else is trivial."
Liu Jizhen nodded: "Exactly."
After being quiet for a while, Lu Mingshu asked again: "Master, what do you think she is up to? Sending a maid to call me Missy is acknowledging my identity? But what good does it do her? Think Can you suppress me with filial piety? We are not those ordinary people."
Warriors don't pay much attention to etiquette, so they are not so foolish and filial. If Lu Mingshu was disrespectful to Shang Qing, he could still say something about it, but Zhou Miaoru, her stepmother who was suspected of killing her original spouse, Lu Mingshu didn't regard her as his mother, so there was really nothing to say.
Liu Jizhen shook his head: "Based on what I know about her, she is not such a dull person. Although Miss Zhou lives reclusively, she is also a martial artist. Her father is the head of the sect, and her husband is also the head of the sect. Her vision will not be limited to the inner house. She like this , I’m afraid it’s for others to see.”
"Do it for others to see? What's the use?" Lu Mingshu didn't understand, even if others thought she was a kind stepmother, so what? Is it of any use
"This...you can't see it right now. Don't pay too much attention to it. Your idea was right just now. Strength is the foundation. No matter what tricks she uses. If your strength is high, she will have nothing to do with you."
"Understood, Master."