Chapter 195: A Surprise

Chapter 195: A Surprise

However, after Shuang Hong left, Lu Lingyun still couldn't completely relax.

Shuang Hong was an honest girl. She might not have much affection for her father, grandmother, or her younger brother, but she definitely had feelings for her sister.

Lu Lingyun needed to keep a closer watch on her to prevent Shuang Hong from repeating the same mistakes as in her past life.

Over the past two days, Lu Lingyun had assigned Shuang Hong many tasks around the courtyard, keeping her practically under her watchful eye.

This was to prevent her from being tricked again, as she had been in her past life.

Dealing with these lowly pests, riffraff, and scoundrels, Lu Lingyun didn't need to handle it personally. She could just have someone drive them away.

Firstly, those kinds of people were both despicable and disgusting. Forcing them away might easily backfire and stain her own reputation, which could bring unnecessary trouble to the Marquis's Mansion.

Secondly, it was only the beginning, and she had no reason to take action against them. It wouldn’t be right to drive them away just because the servants' family members were seeking a reunion. That would only lead to misunderstanding from everyone and affect the morale of the servants in the Marquis's Mansion.

Of course, there were ways to deal with this situation.

The best method to handle such people was to keep them at a distance.

Lu Lingyun closed the gates of the Marquis's Mansion, preventing them from meeting. Eventually, when they realized they wouldn’t get anything, they would give up and leave on their own.

As Lu Lingyun had anticipated, it only took two days before Shuang Hong's family became anxious.

"My elder sister works in your mansion, and we are her family. Why won't you let us see her!" Dan Hong was stopped at the back gate by a guard.

"You can't see her, and that's the mansion's rule!" Lu Lingyun had instructed the servants to deny entry to anyone claiming to be family.

"She's our own flesh and blood! We sold her to your family as a servant over ten years ago. Now, I'm half in the grave and just want to see her one last time, please!" An elderly woman in tattered clothes pleaded pitifully.

Beside her was a fortysomething man who looked honest. He was pulling a seven-or-eight-year-old boy. The boy finished his meat bun in a few bites and licked his lips hungrily.

"Dad, I want another meat bun."

"Wait a bit. Once we see your elder sister, she'll buy you one."

"Okay, I want lots and lots of meat buns. Hurry up, elder sister, and buy me some!"

As the group made a commotion, a young man wearing a nine-tenths new cloth jacket and a silk vest approached.

"What's going on?"

Seeing him, the servant boys at the gate paused and greeted him respectfully, "Captain Qian!"

The people at the gate, including Dan Hong, all focused their attention on this man called Captain Qian. Judging by his attire, they knew he must be someone in charge within the Marquis's Mansion.

Back then, even having a set of clothes without patches was a sign of relative wealth.

Only those from wealthy families could afford silk clothing.

Even within the Marquis's Mansion, apart from the concubines, only the senior matrons and head stewards could afford silk.

Occasionally, senior maids would receive rewards like a silk jacket or skirt.

Most servants typically wore plain cotton clothes.

Given his appearance, this man must be a steward in the Marquis's Mansion.

Dan Hong and the others stared at Captain Qian without blinking.

At that moment, Captain Qian's gaze fell on Dan Hong, "I remember you. What is your relation to Shuang Hong?"

"Shuang Hong is my elder sister," said Dan Hong, her eyes gleaming as she gazed at the dapper man before her.

At that time, in the courtyard of Lu Lingyun's residence, Lu Lingyun was going over the accounts in the main hall, while Shuang Hong and a few maids were embroidering baby clothes nearby.

Just then, Little Wei ran in, "Sister Shuang Hong, someone is here to see you."

Hearing that someone was looking for her, Lu Lingyun immediately looked up, "Who is it?"

"Who else could it be but Captain Qian?"

Upon hearing Captain Qian's name, Shuang Hong accidentally pricked her finger while embroidering a flower.

"Ouch! How clumsy!"

"Or is it that Sister Shuang Hong's heart is somewhere else?"

"You girls are teasing me!" Shuang Hong put down her sewing basket, turned her head away, and sucked on her finger.

Seeing her like this, Lu Lingyun felt pleased in her heart. In two lifetimes, she had rarely seen Shuang Hong like this. She asked, "What does Captain Qian want with our Shuang Hong?"

"Young mistress, Captain Qian has invited Sister Shuang Hong to the Mingxiang Pavilion for tea!"

"Tell him I'm not going!" Shuang Hong replied loudly, feeling embarrassed.

Little Wei grinned, "Sister Shuang Hong, this time Captain Qian said he has a surprise for you and requests that you must go."

"Oh! A surprise!"

"What surprise could it be?"

"Could it be that Captain Qian has taken a liking to our Sister Shuang Hong?"

The maids ribbed her mercilessly, turning Shuang Hong's face so red she wished she could hide under the table.

"Young mistress, look at them!"

Lu Lingyun looked at her flushed face and said with a smile, "Go on, go on. I just had a new jacket made in my room, I'll reward it to you, so you can go looking pretty."

"Young mistress, you're making fun of me too..."

"This is not me making fun of you, this is an order, go." Lu Lingyun gave Shuang Hong a little push.

The other maids teased her even more and escorted her to go.

Unable to bear it, Shuang Hong blushed and hurried out, covering her face.

After a while, Shuang Hong changed into a new set of clothes, wearing a new outfit from the bottom of her trunk that she had never worn before, and over it, she put on the new jacket that Lu Lingyun had rewarded her. She immediately looked radiant.

"Sister Shuang Hong, you look really beautiful when dressed up!"

"I think you look almost like a concubine!"

"You naughty girls dare to talk nonsense! If you don't stop, I'll tear your mouths apart!" Shuang Hong shouted at them, then shyly looked at Lu Lingyun. "Young mistress, do you really think this is okay for me?"

"You look great. Go on, and don't forget to tell us about the surprise when you get back," Lu Lingyun said with a smile.

Hearing this, Shuang Hong, with her face red, bowed and quickly left the compound.

"What do you think the surprise is?"

"What else could it be? It must be about Captain Qian!"

"Looks like Sister Shuang Hong is getting married soon!"

"I think it's great. Captain Qian is reliable. His father is Qian, who’s the steward, and they have a house outside the mansion. If Sister Shuang Hong marries Captain Qian, everyone will be jealous!"

The maids giggled and chatted excitedly. Lu Lingyun looked back at them. "I see you girls are all getting envious. Are you all thinking about getting married too?"

"Young mistress, we wouldn't dare."

"If you’re not brave enough, then get back to work right now!" Lu Lingyun scolded lightly, directing the maids whose minds were wandering.

Meanwhile, Shuang Hong, dressed in new clothes, arrived at Mingxiang Pavilion as instructed.

Mingxiang Pavilion wasn't far from the Marquis's Mansion. It was where Captain Qian had invited her for tea before.

After announcing herself, the attendant led Shuang Hong upstairs. As she looked at the door of the private room, her heart began to race.

Her mind was filled with the surprise Captain Qian had mentioned.

This Captain Qian... She was almost too embarrassed to continue.

At that moment, the door creaked open.

And then, a voice called out from inside.

"Sister!"