Chapter 323 - 322: Family Letters (Monthly Ticket 280+)

Chapter 323: Chapter 322: Family Letters (Monthly Ticket 280+)

Lian Family took the letters Mu Liancheng sent to her and Jiang Yunuan back home.

The family letters put her in a good mood, and she forgot all about the night patrol matter that had been troubling her.

Mrs. Zhou opened the letter Mu Lianxiao had sent her.

Du Yunluo did not join in reading, she merely observed Mrs. Zhou’s expression.

Mrs. Zhou’s lips curved into a smile, her eyes filled with a mix of worry, affection, and pride, a motherly expression upon witnessing her son’s growth.

It was just like what Du Yunluo once saw on Mrs. Zhen’s face while reading letters from Du Yundi.

Du Yunluo reached for her own family letter, tracing the words on the envelope with her eyes.

In the past, when Mu Lianxiao was out on deployments, he often sent letters home. Du Yunluo, in a fit of pique, would read them and toss them aside.

Fortunately, Jin Rui was meticulous and collected them all for her.

In the years following Mu Lianxiao’s death, Du Yunluo relied on these letters to console her grief, copying and practicing the handwriting meticulously.

With plenty of time on her hands, she could replicate Mu Lianxiao’s script so well that no one could tell the difference, yet Mu Lianxiao was gone.

But now, everything was different.

Du Yunluo opened the letter, and even before reading the content, just the thought of Mu Lianxiao made the fragrance of the ink feel tender and lingering.

She glanced up at Madam Wu and Mrs. Zhou, and seeing that they weren’t watching her, Du Yunluo lowered her head to read the letter.

This letter, meant solely for her, had different content from the earlier one.

It spoke of the border landscapes that were so unlike those in the Capital, of the wild rabbit caught during patrols, of Ming Liu being chased by bold city girls...

It also mentioned him wearing the undershirt she made, the insoles she stitched, so well-fitting and comfortable.

And he said that he missed her, missed her dearly.

Just those few words on the paper made Du Yunluo’s ears burn, her smile impossible to hide.

She used the letter to shield her face, sheepishly peeking again at Madam Wu and Mrs. Zhou, and upon meeting Madam Wu’s gaze, Du Yunluo quickly lowered her eyelids.

"This child!" Madam Wu laughed heartily, "What did Lian Xiao write to you to make you so flustered?"

Mrs. Zhou also looked over, her eyes soft, smiling, "Young couples are all lovey-dovey, we as elders don’t pry."

By now, even Du Yunluo’s back felt hot.

Sensibility aside, she wasn’t thick-skinned enough to remain calm and "lovey-dovey" in front of Madam Wu and Mrs. Zhou.

Madam Wu waved her hand: "Alright, we won’t tease you anymore, go back and read it slowly in private."

Du Yunluo stood up to excuse herself, feeling the heat in Madam Wu and Mrs. Zhou’s smiles, she for the first time understood the meaning of "making a hasty retreat."

Once back at Shaohui Garden, the prickly feeling subsided.

Without having anyone attend to her, Du Yunluo retrieved the letter from her bosom, took out the letter she had put back, and reclined on the couch to read it carefully again.

She wondered about the different scenery at the border. Without seeing it with her own eyes, just reading the brief description, she couldn’t feel the grandeur;

That wild rabbit must have been roasted and eaten by Mu Lianxiao. Before he left, they talked about roasting meat, saying the freshly grilled meat sizzling with grease was the most succulent and fragrant. Mu Lianxiao promised to grill it for her, but she hadn’t even smelled the aroma before Mu Lianxiao had already eaten it, hmph;

And the girls chasing after Ming Liu, given his delicate, pretty looks much like a girl’s, he could wear a girl’s outfit and no one would tell the difference; what kind of girl wouldn’t feel inferior, daring to chase after him?

As for those undershirts and insoles, she wondered if they’d last. If they get worn out, Mu Lianxiao wouldn’t say a word, and Ming Liu and Shuying, she wasn’t sure if they’d know how to mend them.

Du Yunluo’s heart felt like a swinging pendulum, sweet yet tinged with anxiety, causing her to read the letter over and over again.

Especially Mu Lianxiao’s words about missing her, making her heart beat faster.

She missed him too, very much so.

It turned out, receiving a love letter from a beloved was such a feeling, one she’d never experienced before.

Only after she could recite the letter by heart did Du Yunluo return it to its envelope, slipping it back to the bottom of her jewelry box.

After lunch, with a brief rest, the ritual began.

The chanting and the sound of wooden fish at the parade ground could be heard from afar.

Du Yunluo accompanied Madam Wu praying and chanting, and the Buddhist chants provided a sense of relief for those frightened in recent days.

The ritual was to last from the twelfth to the eighteenth.

Night patrols continued, except on the day of the Ghost Festival when an old woman claimed to have seen something, the other days were peaceful.

On the seventeenth of July, Lian Family coldly watched the women in the Flower Hall.

"Tomorrow the masters will leave." Granny Jia, accustomed to delivering messages, said without expression.

"So what?" Lian Family raised her voice, sneered, "From my perspective, nothing can come and go without a trace; surely someone’s causing trouble! Just think, there was chanting all night the day before, and yet someone claimed to have seen something? Where’s this deity from with such high skills!"

"It was the Ghost Festival after all..." someone muttered.

Lian Family glared coldly: "Watch carefully during the night patrol, there will be a hefty reward for catching the trouble-maker!"

Those underneath could only agree submissively.

A hefty reward did not yield instant results.

Once the masters left, restlessness surfaced among the people.

That night, it was Madam Ma’s turn, and Hong Jinbao’s family sternly instructed her.

"It’s been days of night patrol without any results; Second Madam insists it’s someone, then it must be someone. Keep your eyes wide open, if you catch the troublemaker, you’ll be rewarded greatly by the Madam.

Here, take these copper coins; if the others are timid, let them drink more. With the wine in, their courage will follow."

Madam Ma squinted at the copper coins in her hand, thumped her chest, and said: "Rest assured, I’m fearless, I’ll watch carefully, and once I spot the troublemaker, I’ll capture them!"

Hong Jinbao’s eyes shifted, whispered: "We don’t know where they come from; if they’re too difficult, seek out Mrs. Zhu. With Second Madam’s token, who could resist?"

Madam Ma nodded: "I know the limit, won’t bring trouble to Madam."

At nightfall, heavy rain suddenly poured down.

The rain was intense, showing no signs of lessening, yet the patrolling women, fueled by alcohol, braved their duties.

Mrs. Gu Fula, taking advantage of the rain, made her way towards Manhe Garden.

She waited a good half an hour before seeing a shadow leap over from Manhe Garden’s wall.

Mrs. Gu Fula turned and left.

Madam Ma, with a few others, walked along the veranda, complaining about the heavy rain, yet had to keep an eye out.

Suddenly, one of them exclaimed, "Oh my! There’s someone!"

Everyone was startled, staring wide-eyed, seeing a figure rushing through the heavy rain...