Chapter 81: Delivery ◇

Nowadays, their malicious intentions remain undiminished.

In the main hall, Yu Lian stood in a daze, gazing at two large bundles before her.

The package was placed on the ground, bulging with contents, an enormous bundle that even a refugee fleeing a disaster might not carry as large.

The visitor, a young man in his late twenties or early thirties, smiled and said, "The one on the left is prepared by your parents, Lord and Lady Yu, for Miss Sixth. The one on the right is from my master."

"Which noble lady or lord do you serve?"

"My master is none other than the current Vice-Prosecutor General, Lord Li."

"Lord Li?" Yu Lian's gaze was filled with skepticism. Not only her, but even the original owner of this body was unfamiliar with any officials in the court, except for her father, who held the lowest rank of office.

The young man smiled and said, "Your Excellency has been away from the capital for several months and may not be aware that my master is Li Xiang, the youngest legitimate son of the Ru Yang Marquis's estate, who has been graciously favored by His Majesty and promoted to the position of Junior Commissioner of the Ministry of Justice. He had originally intended to come in person but due to the overwhelming demands of his official duties, he was unable to spare the time, hence he specifically sent me on this errand."

Yu Lian still found it peculiar. It was no surprise to her that Li Xiang had taken up an official position, given his status as a second-generation noble with royal connections; securing a role in the bureaucracy would have been effortless for him. However, what struck her as coincidental was how Li Xiang had dispatched his own servants to deliver this message shortly after she had written to her parents.

The young man seemed to have read Yu Lian's confusion and continued candidly, "There's one more thing you might not know."

"After your family moved out of the capital, your parents, Yu Sanlang and his wife, took your brother and established their own household elsewhere. The messenger you entrusted with the letter was unaware of this, so they delivered it and the items to the Wei Duke's residence, where it was intercepted by the gatekeeper. Later, Yu Sanlang and his wife found out and went to retrieve the letter, causing another dispute with the Wei Duke's family. When my master heard about it, he rushed over there."

"What happened then?" Zhu Ying raised an eyebrow, a sense of foreboding rising in his heart for his master. He remembered how that boy from the Ru Yang Marquis had become infatuated with Young Lady after meeting her, even following her all the way to the countryside. If not for the Ru Yang Marquis sending people to escort him back, he might have lingered indefinitely. Now, with his intentions still unscrupulous, he openly sent his own people to deliver gifts, even under the pretense of helping Young Lady's parents. It was clear what he was trying to do.

Such a person could not be taken lightly. Zhu Ying resolved to keep a close eye on the situation for his master.

With no elders present, only Yu Lian, Zhu Ying, Hua Sanduo, and the three children inspecting the package on the ground, the young man felt at ease to continue, "When my master learned that you wrote a letter to Lord Yu's parents, he hurried to ask Lord Yu if you had written to him as well. He even saw the mountain produce you sent and asked if there was anything for him."

"Lord Yu, being straightforward, replied that there wasn't, which saddened my master for the whole day. He said you must have forgotten about him as a friend. Hence, he stayed up all night to write you a letter and instructed his servants to open his treasury, selecting some useful treasures for you. He also ordered them to purchase women's items from famous shops in the capital before packing all these items."

"After everything was ready, he heard that Lord Yu was looking for a courier and immediately dispatched me, bringing this along as well. My master was concerned about your reputation, so he specifically asked me to pretend to be a courier for this trip."

With the explanation given, Hua Sanduo offered the young man a glass of water, which he eagerly drank in one go.

Zhu Ying's fists clenched audibly, his teeth grinding together. Now it was clear: Li's intentions were as plain as day, weren't they? Could his intentions be any more obvious?

Yu Lian, however, remained silent, not rushing to open the package. Instead, she ran into the inner room and returned with a few books in her hands.

Confused, Zhu Ying leaned in for a closer look. The title at the top read, "After Dumping Her Heartless Lover, She Met Her Perfect Match."

The corners of Zhu Ying's mouth twitched uncontrollably. He was about to ask what kind of improper book this was, yet strangely intriguing – truth be told, one of his friends had been curious about it.

However, the young lady removed the top book and passed it to the young man, revealing the cover of the second one, which read, "Sixth Miss Beats Up a Bald Monk."

Zhu Ying: "…" Wild, these books were truly wild.

Yu Lian presented all four books to the young man. They formed two complete sets, each with an upper and lower volume. As the young man took them, his hands trembled involuntarily.

Internally, he screamed in astonishment. How could Sixth Miss have these books?

None knew about their master writing novels except for a few of them who ran errands and had guessed the reason behind it. Ever since the master was taken back by the Marquis, she had poured her longing for her beloved into writing novels, especially during the initial days after returning to the capital. Several of her works had become bestsellers. Now that she had become an official, she no longer had the time. Privately, they even thought that their master was quenching her thirst by writing, expressing her hidden emotions through the novels.

Touched by their master's devotion, they, as servants, couldn't bear for her to be embarrassed in front of the subject of her feelings. If she found out, wouldn't she want to hide? How could they ever let her meet Sixth Miss again?

Not only did the books describe Sixth Miss, but they also seemingly portrayed her late husband, the heir of the East Yuan Marquis, in a thoroughly negative light. Given Sixth Miss's deep love for the heir, how could she not be furious upon reading such content?

Thinking of this, the man quickly stepped in to protect his master before Yu Lian could speak. "You've read them too? Who knows which immoral person wrote these? They must be madly infatuated with Sixth Miss to pen such lowbrow, vulgar books that offend her. It's infuriating and hateful. My master has read several and, upon finishing them, became so enraged that she smashed the books, tore them to shreds, and even sent people to shut down the bookstores selling such novels."

Yu Lian: "…Indeed? No wonder it seemed familiar. It turns out to be an adapted story."

"It doesn't matter if the plot is factual or not; it's exceptionally engaging."

"The choice of words is intriguing too. This person has some talent."

Upon hearing his master praised, the man was ecstatic and asked, "Really?"

Yu Lian nodded with a smile. "It does have its charm."

This left the man in a dilemma, his eyebrows knitted together. Should he tell Miss Sixth that this storybook was written by their Master Li Xiang? If he were to return and tell his master that Miss Sixth praised his writing skills and talent, wouldn't he be overjoyed?

But what had he just said!

While the young man was deliberating, Yu Lian first opened the package from her parents. Inside were three fur-trimmed capes, one white, another a serene light blue, and the last a deeper earth brown. They were all made from the same material, crafted with similar techniques, and felt thick and warm to the touch.

The message was clear – these capes were for her, her mother-in-law Mrs. Chen, and her grandmother for the coming winter. As the weather was turning colder, winter would soon arrive. With their financial situation, it would be challenging to afford such high-quality capes. Moreover, where could they find such fine items in the countryside? Even the capital city might not have such luxuries.

Yu Lian smiled slightly and unfolded the letter tucked within the clothing. It was a thick stack of three pages, the first written by her father. He inquired about his daughter's well-being, expressing gratitude for her filial piety and regret for not being able to provide her with a better life. He shared how he, along with her mother and younger brother, had moved out of the mansion, separated from Grandma and her uncles, and assured her to live her life without worry. He mentioned that the three of them were doing well.

Yu Lian blinked, then proceeded to unfold the second letter and continued reading.

The second letter was from her mother, who mentioned that she had received the clothing personally made by Mrs. Chen, her mother-in-law. What merit did she have to deserve such delicate hands to sew clothes for her? However, it was already too late for her mother to make the garments herself. With winter approaching, she had specifically gone to the Jingyi Pavilion in the capital city to select the three finest capes, intending for them to keep warm during the cold season. Mother, please take good care of yourself and don't catch a chill.

These days, your mother has been pondering that it might be for the best to leave the capital. Your safety and well-being surpass all else. Lately, the turmoil in the imperial city has intensified. Your father mentioned that the political climate is chaotic. The Empress has given birth to an imperial prince, while the Concubine has conceived another. The two factions are locked in a fierce struggle, and innocent bystanders could easily get caught in the crossfire. Rumors have it that the nomads from the borderlands are taking advantage of the winter lull to raid southward. They've even formed an alliance with the Liao people on both the western and northern borders, creating a formidable challenge. At this juncture, they have no time to concern themselves with you. From what I see, after two or three more years, when they've forgotten about you, we can return to the capital. Your mother will ensure a suitable residence for all of us...

Yu Lian rubbed her eyes gently before she could summon the courage to unfold the third letter. Unlike the first two, this one was written in large, clumsy characters, clearly the work of a child who had just begun to learn how to write.

Recalling the adorable appearance of her younger brother, Little Yu, a smile tugged at Yu Lian's lips, though her eyes remained slightly reddened.

A single sheet of paper was barely enough to contain a few bold characters; it merely read: "Are you well, sister? I miss you constantly." The atmosphere grew slightly solemn. After a moment, Zhu Ying spoke with a casual air, "Quickly open the other package and let's see what kind of treasures this nobleman from the capital has sent." He had noticed that the young lady's demeanor had turned pensive while reading the letter, likely missing her parents and siblings far away in the capital.

He wanted to lighten the mood with his suggestion.

The young man promptly opened the larger parcel.

Inside, they found a box. Upon opening it, they discovered two exquisite sets of costly jewelry, a pair of fur boots, and a vibrant crimson brocade quilt, which felt fluffy and soft, presumably stuffed with high-quality cotton. The exterior was made of fine silk damask, intricately embroidered with a pair of red and green magpies perched on a branch adorned with blossoming peach flowers. It was a design favored by the refined and affluent ladies of the capital – charming, elegant, and festive.

Yu Lian sighed, realizing that the package contained a quilt. No wonder it was so large; it was impressive for a man of his stature to have such meticulous attention to detail, knowing to send a quilt.

When she first arrived, her delicate skin couldn't endure the rough bedding, causing her to suffer from allergies for several days. It wasn't until she switched to a finer cotton quilt that she gradually acclimated.

Unfolding the brocaded quilt, she discovered a wooden box nested within. Upon opening it, she found it filled with premium cosmetics, the seals indicating they were from the finest cosmetic shop in the capital city.

It's been a while since I've written; my hands are rusty and my pace is slow, please bear with me~