Chapter 812: She'll Be Back Soon

Uncle Qiu noticed Bo Yanching examining the mansion, and following his gaze, he happened to see that flower garden.

“Those are planted by the young lady, managed by a specially hired gardener.

No one else is allowed to touch them; they’re all poisonous.”

“Poisonous?”

Yaen Chi exclaimed, “Such beautiful flowers, I was thinking of going over to take a closer look later.

Are they actually poisonous?”

Uncle Qiu smiled, “Actually, there’s no harm in getting close, but it’s best not to.

The young lady uses them for medicinal purposes.

It’s poison, but also medicine.”

Planted not far from the entrance to the mansion, they’re not just for decoration.

They’re also for defense.

Now, they had already walked quite far inside.

They didn’t see many servants, just a few here and there passing by, either busy with their own tasks or greeting Uncle Qiu politely and being friendly to the guests.

Bo Yanching noticed that these people walked according to certain rules, sometimes taking two extra steps even when they could walk straight.

If his guess was correct, everyone in Nan Mansion knew where the safe paths were.

“The array in the mansion was set up by Jiaojiao?” Bo Yanching asked.

Uncle Qiu didn’t feel offended; these two in front of him were obviously not ordinary people, so it wasn’t surprising they understood arrays.

He said, “It wasn’t the young lady, it was our young master who set it up.

The young lady can too, but her setups are more dangerous.

She did it once, and the young master forbade her from touching it again.”

After passing through a corridor with several steps, Uncle Qiu reminded them to watch their step, “The young master is our master’s son, young lady Jiaojiao’s uncle.”

Bo Yanching asked, “No blood relation?”

“Indeed.”

Bo Yanching barely perceptibly furrowed his brow.

Yaen Chi interrupted, “Then is your young master home?”

“He’s not; the young master seldom comes back, but young lady Jiaojiao returns every year to stay for two months, to celebrate the New Year with the master.

Calculating the time, she should be back in a few days.

Half a month ago, the master already had us prepare, and the house is stocked with the young lady’s favorite foods.”

Bo Yanching’s expression twitched, “She will return?”

“Ah!

No wonder!

Jiaojiao told us to come first, saying she still has some things to tend to and will return once they’re done.

I even said to her, isn’t it a bit much to let us visit for the first time by ourselves?

What if we scared the old master?” Yaen Chi tugged at Bo Yanching’s sleeve, “You agree, Brother Yan, right?”

Bo Yanching’s expression was quite awkward; his ability to lie openly wasn’t that high, as he glanced to the side with his dark eyes, then looked back, suppressing any unusual look on his face, responding calmly: “Yes.”

“So that’s how it is, indeed something the young lady would do.

If convenient for you two, I’ll prepare two rooms, so you can stay here?”

Yaen Chi promptly responded, “That would be wonderful!”

After speaking, he quickly poked Bo Yanching in the side.

“Ahem…”

Bo Yanching held back slightly, “Would it be a disturbance?”

“Not at all.

No one usually comes here, it’s quiet, and the master enjoys lively company, especially guests of young lady Jiaojiao, whom he welcomes most warmly.”

Uncle Qiu saw that they were carrying gifts and called a few servants over to take the gifts so they could free their hands.

Bo Yanching asked, “May I have the pleasure of knowing your surname?”

“No need for formality; my surname is Qiu.

You may call me Uncle Qiu.”

Ahead was an octagonal pavilion with tea brewing on a stone table.

A girl wearing a light lotus-colored Cheongsam was brewing tea.

Seeing the guests approaching, she first nodded and greeted Uncle Qiu, then poured two cups of tea, placing them on the table before leaving.

Uncle Qiu said, “You two rest here; our master is just ahead fishing.

I’ll go tell him you’re here.”