C115

The marquis' residence, which had always been deserted, was bustling with noise and excitement today. If Miss Mu wanted to marry someone, it should have been a joyous occasion, but it was obvious that not many people were happy.

Mu Qing Han looked at the empty seat beside her and sighed, "Zi Yu really isn't here."

Bai Zhen asked, "You wish for him to come over?"

Mu Qing Han laughed self-deprecatingly: "Who knows? Even though I know it's good that I won't come, I still hold onto a bit of expectation. "

Bai Zhen raised the cup in his hand and smiled. "Congratulations, you're going to be married off soon. You'll have your own family."

Mu Qinghan was stunned. "Are you sincerely wishing me well?"

"Naturally, I believe you will be happy."

Mu Qing Han didn't say anything else, but pursed her lips and smiled. She then picked up the teacup in front of her as well. "Thank you very much. Thank you for your auspicious words."

"Right." Bai Zhen took out a porcelain bottle and handed it over to her before mysteriously winking at her. "Do you know what this is?"

Mu Qing Han stretched out her hand to receive it, opened the stopper and brought it close to her nose to take a sniff, then asked, "Wine?"

Bai Jian said: "To be exact, it is Nu Er Hong. Ten years ago, Zi Yu wanted to marry you, so he bought a jar of Bamboo Leaf Green and buried it under the big locust tree in his elder brother's yard. Ziyu and I dug it out yesterday, and we had a drink first, and there was only this little bottle left. How about it? Drink it? "

Mu Qing Han shook her head gently and stuffed the cork back in place. She smiled sweetly and said, "Let's drink later."

Bai Zhen shrugged his shoulders to indicate that he didn't mind and then said, "Although Ziyu is unwilling to come over, he has already thought it through. We're not young anymore, it's about time we find someone we love and get married. Each of them have their own home, let's just forget about what's past and still be friends in the future. "

Mu Qing Han lowered her gaze and looked at the bottle in her hand as she muttered to herself, "Why bother meeting him if you don't want to see him?"

Bai Zhen smiled and said, "It's been ten years of friendship, can you not be so cold and distant? Perhaps they would never see each other again, perhaps they would meet again. Who could say for sure? A few years later, when we have our own home, all of this in the past will just be a young and ignorant dream. "

Mu Qing Han didn't know whether she heard it or not, but she carefully looked at the porcelain bottle that was tightly wrapped in her palm. Her gaze was dazed and distant, as if she was recalling her own past.

Bai Zhen did not disturb her. He only placed the teacup in his hand, which had yet to reach her lips, back onto the table and watched as the water vapor rose and then slowly dissipated in the air. It was like a vague dream in his mind.

When the boiling hot tea turned slightly cold and the ice-cold wine turned warm, Mu Qinghan smiled gently. Her eyes were clear as if she had put something down. She decisively drank all the wine in the bottle that was not even one mouthful, not holding back at all.

The wine didn't taste good. After being buried underground for ten years, it had long since lost its former mellow flavor. It was bitter, sour, and extremely unpleasant to drink. Mu Qing Han wrinkled her beautiful nose and covered her cherry-like lips, showing an expression that she was about to vomit. Mu Qing Han, who had always been graceful and dignified, purposefully made such an expression: a bit playful, a bit cute, and also a bit elegant. Instead, she gave off an indescribable beauty.

Bai Zhen could not help but narrow his eyes, but he quickly regained his composure and chuckled softly. "Is it that hard to drink?"

Mu Qing Han snorted lightly and said with dissatisfaction: "I have never tasted such a bad wine before. If I didn't smell the wine, I would have suspected that it was vinegar that was brewed."

Bai Zhen's face was also filled with grief. "Who knows how we managed to sit on the roof and watch the moon being covered last night and drank such a jar of vinegar?" He extended his hand and measured the size of the wine jar.

Mu Qing Han's eyes were filled with happiness, "You didn't steal a bit of it?"

Bai Zhen sighed, "Why did I deliberately walk an extra mile to buy such a big jar? It's big and heavy, and I haven't bought the right wine yet. "

Mu Qing Han thought back to that scene and revealed a sweet smile.

At dusk, under the golden rays of the setting sun, two teenage boys were walking on a road with few people. The youth in the yellow robe on the left was carrying a girl who was a few years younger than him. Clearly, sweat was dripping down from his chin, but he was still using his loud voice to show that he wasn't tired at all. The young man dressed in white on the right was holding a huge wine jug that was almost the size of a small water jar as he walked awkwardly. He kept mumbling to himself that he would definitely be scolded by his father if he went back, but he still had a smile on his face.

Time passed, and he was no longer young.

What remained unchanged were the few traces of disgusting and bitter wine that had been in his mouth just now, and the person sitting in front of him.

Ten years of time like water, the companion who has never abandoned, what is there to be demanding?

Mu Qing Han revealed a smile, the unhappiness of the past few days was swept away, her smile was crystal clear and beautiful.

Bai Zhen, who was silently spectating, became somewhat absent-minded. However, he shifted his gaze away the instant Mu Qinghan looked over, and pretended to inadvertently follow her gaze to brush away the dust that was left on his knees. "That's right, I can finally relax now. Otherwise, if I tried to persuade Zi Yu and no one else, wouldn't it be a waste of my time? Now that Zi Yu has let go of his obsession and you've resolved it, I am relieved. "

Mu Qinghan smiled sweetly and asked, "We will still have the chance to meet as friends in the future, right?" Even though it was a question, he was waiting for a positive answer.

Bai Zhen nodded his head as she wished and gave her an affirmative answer, "What Princess Mo said is the truth." Seeing that Mu Qing Han's smile was still as beautiful and calm as before and didn't change because of what he had said, he couldn't help but inwardly sigh in relief.

"Master Bai, master wants to invite you." A man appeared five steps away without a sound and bowed slightly.

Bai Zhen turned his head in astonishment. "Uncle Mu, the Prince and the others have already left?"

The man replied in an emotionless voice, "Yes, the prince and the rest just left. The lord is waiting." He looked about sixty years old, and although he wasn't ugly, the flesh of his face was as thin as a piece of paper stuck to a bone. He was not short, but his body was slightly hunched. His hair was also mixed with a few strands of snow-white hair. Coupled with his swarthy and gaunt body, he looked like an old man on the verge of death.

In the eyes of Bai Zhen and Mu Qinghan, this old man who everyone thought was a terrifying and detestable old man was a loyal, sincere, and amiable senior. This old man, who was not more than forty years old, but was toiling so hard for the Manchu Mansion, was as respectful as a second father to Mu Qinghan.

Bai Zhen stood up and half turned around. "Qing Han, then let's go?"

Before Mu Qing Han could say anything, Mu Xiao spoke again, "Master called Master Bai over. He didn't ask Miss to come with him."

Bai Zhen was stunned. "Just me?"

Wood Decay nodded, then no longer spoke.

Mu Qinghan spoke up for him, "Since Father only wants you to go, you can go. I'll just sit down for a while."

Bai Jian replied, and said: "Then I will go over first, and then if there is time I will come over and stay for a while. If it's late, I won't be coming over.

Mu Qing Han nodded, "Yes, I know, go quickly."

— —

"Uncle Mu, you're looking for me?" Bai Zhen stopped outside the pavilion and turned to look at the Marquis of the Trojan Horse with a questioning gaze.

The Marquis moved his gaze away from the wooden box in front of him and pointed to the seat opposite him, "Take a seat, I have something that I need your help with."

Bai Zhen was startled and asked, "Uncle, what are you talking about? If there's anything you need, just tell me directly. As long as it's within your power, I'll definitely complete it for uncle. "

The Duke of Trojan Horse was silent for a moment, "No, it's different this time. It might make things a little difficult for you. Time is of the essence, I'm afraid we won't make it in time to wait for your father's return, so I'll have to leave it to you. "

Bai Zhen seemed to realize the seriousness of the situation and did not ask any further. He only took a deep breath and solemnly nodded his head, "Uncle, please speak."

Seeing that he agreed so quickly, the duke of Trojan Horse was stunned. After a while, he slowly said, "I don't know what will happen in the end either. Maybe it's just that there's some danger, or maybe … will get you into big trouble. "

"Master Hou." Bai Zhen exhaled lightly, his gaze calm. "I only know that the Marquis and my father have been friends for decades, and that my nephew has often been cared for by the Marquis for many years. If the Marquis needs my father's and my help, we have no reason to shirk it. "

The marquis shook his head, "This is not a matter of friendship. This is a matter concerning your family and life. Thus, time is of the essence. I will first briefly explain this matter. What to do after that, you leave it to your father to decide, will you? "

Bai Zhen nodded his head. "Uncle, please speak."

The marquis said, "You should know that my disciple left a few years ago. I wrote his current residence in this wooden case. After that, you guys should open it to find him and hand it over to him. "Hmm …" I mean, if something happens to the Mansion of the Trojan Horse and it's not convenient for me to personally go find him, then you guys should take a look at this wooden box for Qing Yan and then go look for my disciple together. There are two letters inside, one for your father, one for Qing Qing and one for my disciple. "

He seemed to be somewhat unstable, but he only smiled and did not delay any further. He continued, "Apart from you, your father, and Qing Qing, do not divulge this matter to anyone else — including Qing Han. Especially Qing Han and Wen Lun, we must not let them know, and also must not let the Qi King and others know. Of course … I said it was best not to let them know. If necessary, let them decide. Remember, you will only open this wooden box after something has gone wrong with the manor. If nothing happens, destroy it. "

Bai Zhen nodded solemnly. "I understand."

The marquis silently nodded and said, "I still have one more thing that I need your help with …" He wanted to say something but hesitated.

"Lord Marquis, please speak."

After a moment of silence, the duke of Trojan opened his mouth and said, "I want you. No matter what happens, I must make Qing Han marry Zhao Qingyan."

Bai Zhen did not immediately reply. After a long while, he revealed a slight smile. "Mn, I understand. I will do my best."

When the Duke of Trojan Horse saw Bai Zhen's forced smile, he opened his mouth, but didn't say anything. "This matter might cause you to become embroiled in some trouble. My apologies."

Bai Zhen quickly adjusted his mood and asked, "Why did Uncle do this?" and didn't even hesitate to alarm Big Brother Xia? "

The marquis pretended to smile lightly, "Would you believe me if I told you that it was because I had made a divination for the marquis' house and predicted that there would be a great calamity impending doom in the near future?"

Bai Zhen's expression had clearly changed. "The Marquis personally divined this?"

The marquis nodded, "Yes, the divination is very strange, even I can't see through it completely. "The only thing I can do, I'm afraid, is to save Qing Han and Qing Qian."

An extremely obvious look of fear and panic appeared in Bai Zhen's eyes. "Is there no way to resolve this?"

The marquis's gaze returned to the wooden box and he leisurely said, "The divination is dead, and humans are alive. How can it be considered clear? It's just that I don't know where the calamity will come from, so I don't know how to break it. "

Although the marquis's tone was calm, Bai Zhen's face became even paler after hearing it. "But marquis …"

The marquis looked at him gently and said, "If you are not prepared, then you are going to die. If you are ready, then there is a solution. Brother Wen and Brother Bai are not close at all. If I were to speak of people I can trust outside the Mansion of the Marquis, I would probably only be you kids. Wen Lun has a short temper, easily impulsive, sweet talk is still young, although more difficult, also easy to panic. I know this is too much for you. But other than you, there's no one else. "

Bai Zhen stood blankly on the spot. It was unknown whether or not he had taken the words of the Marquis of the Trojan Horse to heart.

"Zhen'er, sit down and listen to me." The marquis waited for a while, but when he saw that the marquis wasn't moving at all, he could only sigh. "Zhen`er …" The duke of Trojan Horse waited for a while, but seeing that he wasn't moving, he only let out a light sigh, "Forget it, there's nothing much to say … "You can go first. If Wen Lun is also nearby, look after him." He stood up and handed the wooden case to Bai Zhen.

Bai Zhen originally had a firm and steady personality. Although he was moved by the Duke of the Trojan Horse's sudden words, he still managed to slow down a bit after this moment had passed. Bai Zhen only nodded his head in hesitation when he heard the Marquis's words. He extended his hand to take the wooden box and carefully placed it in his bosom. "I understand. I will return first." He turned around and left as if he had lost his soul.

The marquis looked at his back and couldn't bear to see it anymore. In the end, he still chose to let him completely disappear from his sight.

"Old master, is it really okay not to tell the little miss about this?" Mu Tie soundlessly appeared in his identity as a duke of the Trojan Horse and asked with a hoarse voice.

The marquis shook his head, "Don't tell her, just hide it for now."

Wood Decay nodded his head and silently left.