346 Dragon Boat Festival
Nanny Liu agreed deeply. A half-grown child was equivalent to half of the Yu Residence. Now, nothing in the family could be separated from her. Which young miss in the capital worked as hard as her?
Not to mention Old Madam, even her heart ached when she saw this. She wished she could take on all the big and small matters in the residence so that Eldest Miss could bear a lighter burden.
Old Madam Yu’s heart ached for her granddaughter. “Madam Yang has been locked up in the Tranquil Heart Residence. I’m old, and my body is useless. The family needs to rely on her to be safe in the residence during the Dragon Boat Festival. Yao Yao has liked to have fun since she was young. It’s an annual Dragon Boat Festival. She’s just a half-grown child, but she can’t even leave the residence.”
Nanny Liu advised, “That’s why you should recuperate carefully. When you recover, you can go anywhere with Eldest Miss.”
Old Madam Yu waved her hand, but she still listened to her and ate another small bowl of porridge.
Not long after, Qing Xiu came over to report that Madam Yao had arrived.
Old Madam Yu nodded. She had always been very satisfied with this second daughter-in-law of hers. Yesterday, the main family had caused such a commotion and she did not get involved. However, today, after the main family’s matter, she came to visit. She was also sensible.
As he was still thinking about Yu Shansi, Yu Zongzheng left the government office at 4pm.
As soon as he entered the residence, he heard that not only had Yu Shansi caused a commotion all morning, but he had also smashed a lot of things. He had even scolded his eldest sister. Immediately, he was furious and rushed to Songtao Courtyard angrily.
When Xia Tao received the news, she came over to report, “Fourth Young Master complained to Eldest Master that you were the one who caused him to drown. He even said that you were vicious and refused to give him food… When Eldest Master heard this, he was furious. He pointed at Fourth Young Master’s nose and scolded him for calling his eldest sister by her name without any respect for her. He was disrespectful to his legitimate sister and did not have any manners. He immediately asked Zhao Da to apply the family law, took off Fourth Young Master’s clothes, and slapped his butt.”
Yu Youyao was not surprised.
Her father had high hopes for Yu Shansi. Although he hated Madam Yang for teaching his only son badly, in the end, wasn’t he also extremely disappointed in Yu Shansi?
As the saying went, the deeper one’s love was, the more blame they would have. Her father was filled with anger. After seeing Yu Shansi fail with his own eyes, it was normal for him to completely erupt.
Yu Shansi’s beating was inevitable.
The next day was the Dragon Boat Festival on the fifth day of May.
The residence was busy at dawn. The servants’ arms were all tied with acacia ropes made of five-colored silk. They were busy inserting mugwort in front of the door and pasting it on the door. They used mugwort, calamus, and banyan branches. They used red paper with garlic and pomegranate flowers to weave “Wormwood People” and “The Herb Sachet” and hung them above the hall.
They were very busy.
Zhou Linghuai finally managed to finish the painting that he was going to give Yu Youyao on the Dragon Boat Festival. Although it was a little rushed, it was still presentable after he made a few adjustments.
At this moment, Chang An brought in an ebony box. “Young Miss sent Miss Xia Tao over to give you a gift.”
Zhou Linghuai’s lips curled up slightly as he took the ebony wooden box and opened it.
Inside, there was an acacia rope woven with five-colored threads—white, green, black, red, and yellow. There were even five-colored beads woven on it. Even though it was just a simple five-colored thread, she had made a variety of patterns. It looked generous and exquisite. It was going to be tied to his arm. She wanted him to “repel the army” and pray for peace so that war and plague would not happen.
Accompanying the acacia rope was an exquisite sachet. It was a dark black sachet, and it was embroidered with golden leaves and red flowers. The rope belt of the sachet was also made of five-colored silk.
He lowered his head and smelled it. He could tell that it was stuffed with medicinal herbs such as mugwort, calamus, vanilla, cinnabar, realgar, and angelica. It had the effect of repelling insects and poison.
The last item was a Herb Sachet. It had to be hung on his waist.
This time, he had everything he needed.
It had probably taken her a long time to prepare these. Zhou Linghuai chuckled and put them back into the box one by one. He looked down at the painting on the desk. It was already dry.
After checking one more time and confirming that there was nothing wrong, he filled the scroll and rolled up the painting. Then, he packed it in a box that he had prepared long ago. “Bring the gift I prepared for Cousin and go to the Jade Courtyard!”
Chang An looked at the time. “Isn’t it a little too early to arrive at dawn?”
Wasn’t it a little rude?
Zhou Linghuai nodded. “I can accompany Cousin for breakfast.”
Chang An pushed Young Master to the courtyard.
The hollyhocks at the courtyard wall seemed to have bloomed even more brightly after the wind and rain. Zhou Linghuai recalled the day before yesterday when the little girl put a hollyhock in her hair
Suddenly, there was a feeling that a daughter in his family had just grown up and was already quietly revealing her beauty.
Zhou Linghuai turned his wheelchair over.
The hollyhock plant was as tall as a sunflower. He picked the brightest one and broke a few stalks.
All the way to the Jade Courtyard, the residence was filled with wormwood, calamus, and Zhong Kui statues. The servants were busy going back and forth, but they were orderly. There was a festive atmosphere everywhere.
Zhou Linghuai suddenly remembered that he had been busy painting these past few days and had actually forgotten about the portrait of Zhong Kui that he had promised to draw for the little girl.
He had never drawn Zhong Kui before, but it wasn’t difficult.
If he returned to draw now, he would be done in an hour at most.
Just as Zhou Linghuai was hesitating if he should go back, he saw Yu Youyao leading Chun Xiao out from the corner of the corridor in front.
The little girl was wearing a green dress with narrow sleeves. She was thin and delicate, and her green clothes were as pure and bright as clear water. There was a “Acacia Rope” tied to her arm, and a sachet embroidered with acacia was hanging at her waist. There was also a small sachet hanging behind her waist.
Seeing her cousin, Yu Youyao immediately picked up her skirt and ran towards him. When she saw the handful of hollyhocks in her cousin’s arms, her eyes lit up. “Cousin, are these for me?” As she asked the obvious, she couldn’t wait to take the hollyhocks. “The hollyhocks in my courtyard are also open today, but they are not as beautiful as your gift.”
Zhou Linghuai smiled.
Yu Youyao was very vain. Just like the day before, she pinched the most beautiful flower. “Cousin, help me put it on.”
With that, she moved closer.
The little girl had combed her hair into a bun today, and she was only wearing a pearl flower on her head. Her crow-colored hair hung by her temples and ears, making her black hair look like clouds.
Zhou Linghuai placed the red hollyhocks in his hand into the middle of her bun. The red flower contrasted with her eyes, and they shone brightly.
“Thank you, Cousin.” Yu Youyao raised her hand and stroked the hollyhock in her hair. Her every move revealed the beauty of a woman.
Zhou Linghuai lowered his eyes and rubbed the incense beads on his wrist. “Where did you go just now?”
Yu Youyao smiled. “I picked a bunch of hollyhocks and sent them to Grandmother’s house to put in a bottle for her. At the same time, I went to the main kitchen to prepare a banquet. It’s the Dragon Boat Festival today, so we have to go to Grandmother’s house for lunch. There’s a small banquet at home tonight, so the main kitchen should be ready for it.”
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