Chapter 226: Flowers Fall with Intent, but Flowing Water is Uninterested

Chapter 226: Flowers Fall with Intent, but Flowing Water is Uninterested

Soon after Cheng Yunshuo left, Lu Lingyun’s small courtyard became lively.

Qiu Ling, Ling Long, and Du Ruo arrived with their maids at Lu Lingyun’s place.

It was rare for all three of them to come together.

“Good day, young mistress.”

“Greetings, young mistress.”

“Hope you’re well, young mistress.”

The three voices of greeting sounded simultaneously as the three ladies bowed to Lu Lingyun.

Lu Lingyun nodded at them and glanced at the sewing baskets in the maids’ hands, smiling slightly. “What brings you here today?”

“We heard Shuang Hong is amazing at needlework and thought we’d come to learn from her,” Qiu Ling said with a smile, taking the sewing basket from her maid.

“You don’t find us bothersome, do you?” Ling Long approached from the other side with her sewing basket.

“Since I’m free, it’s nice to have some company—please, make yourselves comfortable,” Lu Lingyun said, inviting them to sit.

Du Ruo didn’t dare to approach Lu Lingyun as enthusiastically as Qiu Ling and Ling Long. She glanced up at Lu Lingyun briefly before lowering her eyes and sat at the far end from Lu Lingyun.

Lu Lingyun noticed her hesitation and understood why.

She likely wanted to ask Shuang Hong for help but felt too shy to approach.

She had asked her several times and called her many times to learn more when she was here learning the rules before, but she paid no attention at all.

After that, she never visited her courtyard unless there was a reason.

After all, she certainly wasn’t as proactive or affectionate with Lu Lingyun as Qiu Ling and Ling Long were.

Even though she knew that Lu Lingyun was really not bad, and didn’t scold them, the concubines, she could even be considered an exceptionally good main wife.

In front of Lu Lingyun, she always felt restrained, stubborn, and a little shy.

Lu Lingyun could see all her conflicted and delicate thoughts clearly.

Lu Lingyun didn’t bother to say much more. She asked Shuang Hong to join them in doing needlework. She went to sit aside and started to calculate on the abacus.

This made Du Ruo visibly more relaxed.

"Shuang Hong, so this is how the stitches go here."

"No wonder mine never looked right."

"Du Ruo, come and see! You should really pay attention to this backstitch."

Qiu Ling and Ling Long called for Du Ruo to come forward. She set aside the clothes she was holding and leaned in to watch Shuang Hong’s embroidery demonstration closely.

The morning light filtered through the wisteria trellis, casting a soft glow on her face as she focused intently.

Sitting nearby, flipping through the account books, Lu Lingyun casually noticed Du Ruo’s serious expression and was suddenly reminded of how Cheng Yunshuo had casually tried to untie the scented sachet earlier.

She let out a soft sigh.

"The flowers may fall with intent, but the stream flows without care."

"Young mistress, what did you say?" Qiu Ling heard her soft sigh and turned to ask.

"It's nothing. Just keep embroidering," Lu Lingyun said with a smile in their direction.

Du Ruo looked up at her, and when their eyes met, she averted her gaze again.

The three of them spent the entire day learning embroidery techniques at Lu Lingyun's place.

By late afternoon, Du Ruo's men's stockings were almost finished.

"I have to say, Concubine Du has done a great job."

"Yes, it took her forever to embroider a sachet before, but now she can finish a pair of socks in one day. Look at these stitches, so neat!"

Du Ruo smiled when she heard the praise.

Lu Lingyun, who had spent the day going over account books, walked over. "Well done," she praised.

Upon hearing this, Du Ruo's smile became slightly stiff. At that moment, a servant came in to report.

"Young mistress, the Crown Prince is drunk and has been carried back!"

"Where did he drink?"

"At the Fragrant Breeze Pavilion."

Lu Lingyun: "..."

Not only Lu Lingyun but also Qiu Ling and Ling Long were left speechless.

Both of them wore looks of disgust.

He went to a pleasure house for drinks again.

He had already been promoted to the Imperial Guard, with only one day off a month, and he still went to a brothel.

Du Ruo hurriedly asked, "Where is the Crown Prince?"

"He just entered the estate. They're carrying him back. We came to ask you, young mistress, should we take the Crown Prince to Yaoguang Pavilion or the main courtyard?"

When Ling Long heard they were heading to Yaoguang Pavilion, her face fell.

If they took him there, she'd be the one to attend to him.

Qiu Ling, on the other hand, looked relieved.

Good, anyway, she wouldn't have to serve him no matter where he went.

Du Ruo, however, quickly blurted out, "Take him to my courtyard!"

She realized only after speaking that she was in Lu Lingyun's courtyard, and the servant was asking the mistress for instructions.

Even in her anxiety, she knew it wasn't her place to give orders on Lu Lingyun's behalf.

This is like publicly grabbing someone!

She cautiously glanced at Lu Lingyun after finishing her sentence. Seeing that Lu Lingyun still maintained her calm demeanor, she said, "Since Concubine Du wants to take care of the Crown Prince, have him carried to Xiaohe Courtyard."

As soon as she finished speaking, Du Ruo, as if she had received an imperial decree, immediately ran out to greet Cheng Yunshuo, who was being carried back.

Qiu Ling and Ling Long shook their heads after seeing this. "Concubine Du really isn't afraid of hardship."

"If she wants to suffer, let her suffer."

Lu Lingyun: "..."

In a way, Lu Lingyun felt that her household was surprisingly peaceful.

The concubines didn’t bother competing with each other.

Du Ruo hurried to the door and saw Cheng Yunshuo being carried in by two men.

She quickly guided them to bring Cheng Yunshuo into Xiaohe Courtyard.

Despite being drunk and flushed, Cheng Yunshuo still remembered to have someone bring him back.

As Dairong removed his shoes and socks, she grumbled, "Master, if you want to drink, why can't you do it at home?"

"Are you lacking company? If they don't drink with you, I will!"

"Why did you go to a brothel?!"

"That place is so filthy! How could you even set foot in there?!"

As soon as she finished speaking, she was roughly shoved.

"I don't want you!" Cheng Yunshuo, half-drunk and disoriented, opened his bloodshot eyes and angrily shoved her away.

Seeing him like this, Dairong felt both angry and wronged. "Do you even recognize me?"

"I don't want any of you! Get out! You're the dirty one!"

"I'm A'Ruo!" Dairong, unwilling to give up, rushed forward, wanting Cheng Yunshuo to see who she was.

Cheng Yunshuo shoved her away again forcefully, shouting with a strong alcohol smell, "I don't want A'Ruo, I want Dairong!"

The moment he said Xing Dairong's name, Dairong stood frozen on the spot.

Filled with alcohol, Cheng Yunshuo fell back onto the bed. His red eyes welled up with tears as he murmured, "Dairong is the purest woman in the world."