Mistakenly Connected to the Jade Flower Branch

Chapter 207 Colorful Phoenix

Early in the morning, Qin Jiu and Xue Yunting transported Jing Zhao and the others who had perished in the fire to Dongshan Island for burial. The coffins were exquisite, but the ceremony was simple. With such a major event occurring at the mountain villa, no one was in the mood for anything else.

After the funeral, Xue Yunting and his entourage returned by large ship. At Shanshan Residence, Duan Mingzhu and his second wife were playing chess. Liang Qingcheng held Bu Zhi and watched the game with quiet demeanor.

Duan Mingzhu, her hair disheveled, turned her head and saw Xue Yunting, immediately dropping her chess piece: "Yunting, when are we going back?"

Xue Yunting walked over and stroked her hair: "What's wrong? Are you not used to living here?"

Duan Mingzhu remained silent.

Seeing them return, she kept looking towards the door. Not seeing Qin Jiu, she slid off Liang Qingcheng's arms and ran to the door to look around. Then she ran back and pouted, asking Xue Yunting, "Where's my dad? Doesn't he want me and mom anymore?"

Before Xue Yunting could respond, Duan Mingzhu blurted out, "Yes, your father doesn't want you anymore."

He fell silent, tears welling in his eyes. Liang Qingcheng quickly hugged him, patted his head, and said softly, "Father has something to attend to, but will be back when he's done."

Nianyao then reassured her, "Your father won't abandon you and your mother. He'll be back soon, so don't worry."

Xue Yunting pulled Duan Mingzhu back to the room and pressed her down into a chair: "Why are you arguing with a child?"

Duan Mingzhu was always willful in front of Xue Yunting. When she heard Xue Yunting say that, she immediately became unhappy and turned her face away, ignoring her.

Xue Yunting simply picked her up, turned around and sat on the chair, pinching her cheek: "Why are you so angry? Is something bothering you?"

Duan Mingzhu turned her head to look at Xue Yunting, and after confirming his meaning, she wasn't shy at all: "What can I do if I'm dissatisfied?"

Xue Yunting couldn't help but laugh, giving her a light kiss on the lips: "There's really nothing we can do. Mingzhu, I'm going to the Northern Desert to find my brother-in-law, and I'm going to find Qi Yang. You can go for now..."

Duan Mingzhu refused outright: "No."

Xue Yunting thought for a moment: "Then you'll go back to Qinzhou with Wuming?"

Duan Mingzhu still refused: "No."

Xue Yunting frowned slightly: "Then shall I take you back to Qinzhou first?"

Duan Mingzhu hesitated for a moment, then softened her tone: "Never mind, I'll wait for you here."

Xue Yunting gently stroked her hair, and Liang Qingcheng leaned against his chest, her arms wrapped around his waist: "Yunting, you have to be careful."

Xue Yunting was slightly taken aback, then smiled and said, "You care about me?"

Duan Mingzhu looked up, slightly dissatisfied: "I don't care about you? Shouldn't I care about you?"

Xue Yunting took out a comb and helped her tie her hair up, replying as he did so, "I care, I should care."

Su Wuming waited until Xue Yunting and Duan Mingzhu had disappeared around the corner before sitting down in Duan Mingzhu's seat: "Second Madam, shall we play the next round?"

The second wife smiled and said, "Before Lord Su, I can only admit defeat."

Liang Qingcheng asked, "Chief Xue, why didn't Qin Jiu return with you?"

Liang Qingcheng's tone was polite yet distant, likely influenced by Duan Mingzhu. Nianyao said gently, "I don't know, Ninth Brother is going to pay respects to his mother, he'll be a little late."

Liang Qingcheng thought for a moment: "Why not take us with you?"

Nianyao said, "There are a lot of people today, and Ninth Brother said he was afraid they would be frightened. Ninth Sister-in-law, there's plenty of time in the future, no need to rush."

Liang Qingcheng responded with an "oh," and the atmosphere gradually became heavy. The Second Madam gently changed the subject: "Lord Su, you and your father are quite alike."

Su Wuming was slightly surprised: "Is the Second Madam familiar with my father?"

The second wife said, "I saw him when I was young."

Su Wuming thought for a moment: "What is your honorable name, Second Madam?"

The second wife said, "Li Caifeng."

Nianyao blurted out: "Though we lack the wings of a phoenix to fly together, our hearts are connected by a single thread of understanding."

Li Caifeng asked, "Is Chief Xue well-read?"

Nianyao quickly shook her head: "No, no, I'm just a rough man. I heard it while listening to storytelling in a teahouse."

After the Yuan family mansion burned down, Nianyao listened to a storyteller recount the story of Nanfei in a teahouse, and these two lines left a deep impression on her. Nianyao wondered, "I haven't seen Yuan Feng in so long. I wonder how she and Nanfei are doing?"

Recalling the past, Nianyao couldn't sit still: "Shall we pack our things first, and leave when Ninth Brother comes back?"

Seeing that Liang Qingcheng remained silent, Li Caifeng didn't feel comfortable making the decision to keep her there. Su Wuming agreed, and the two went back to their rooms to pack. Standing in his room, Su Wuming suddenly remembered that his father had mentioned Li Caifeng when he was chatting with General Xue.

The father said, "In ancient times, Wu Zixu's hair turned white overnight, and now there is Li Caifeng, the second wife. A person who suffers such a great calamity but does not go mad, does not seek revenge or compete for favor, and protects himself wisely, may seem calm now, but I fear he will cause trouble in the future."

Xue Longpan said, "Those who are at the top of the valley never imagine that one day they will fall to the bottom. Rise and fall, honor and disgrace are the laws of the world, you don't need to care about them or force them."

The changes at Jingzhao Manor came suddenly and coincidentally. Qin Jiu, as the new manor lord, would undoubtedly prioritize reorganizing the manor, meaning the concubines would likely have to find their own way, leaving Li Caifeng's position unshakeable. Could these coincidences be related to the Second Madam?

Nianyao reached out and patted Su Wuming's shoulder. Su Wuming visibly trembled, and the clothes in his hand fell to the ground.

Nianyao picked up the clothes and patted them off: "What are you thinking about so intently?"

Su Wuming said, "Your uncle is truly the smartest person in the world."

Nianyao asked in confusion, "My uncle?"

Su Wuming nodded: "Your uncle said that people at the top of the valley never expect to fall to the bottom one day. The title of General of the Southern Yue State is almost exclusively held by the Xue family. The Xue family has been wealthy and powerful for generations and has a very high reputation. Look at the three siblings, Yun Ting, Yun Fan, and Yun Yao. They are all deeply loved and trusted by the emperor. Even Le Xi, who came from the Xue family, is highly valued."

Mentioning Lexi, Nianyao immediately thought of the bracelet Duan Mingzhu smashed: "Does Lexi like Yunting?"

Su Wuming sat down and drank tea: "Childhood sweethearts, what do you say?"

Nianyao sat down next to her and asked, "Do you like Lexi?"

Su Wuming almost spat out his tea: "Sister, don't order mandarin duck tea randomly."

Nianyao pressed further, "So, do you like her or not?"

Su Wuming said, "I don't like it. No, I like it, but it's not the kind of liking you think I like."

Nianyao said, "You're only a month apart, so all three of you are childhood sweethearts?"

Su Wuming said firmly, "It's definitely not what you think it is—like."

Nianyao asked, "Do you have a girl you like?"

Su Wuming countered, "Sister, are you going to introduce me to someone?"

Nianyao shook her head: "I'm just asking, why don't you like Lexi?"

Why so many questions? Su Wuming took a large green date from the fruit plate, took a bite, and said indistinctly, "Sister, go see how Yunting is doing with the preparations? Let's go when it's almost done."

Su Wuming gave the order as if it were perfectly natural, but Nianyao wasn't going to listen. She glanced at him and asked, "Why aren't you going?"

Su Wuming swallowed the green date and said righteously, "He is your younger brother, not my older brother!"